Arceus Drops: Defying
by Nine Sixteenths
Summary: [Sequel to Arceus Drops: Remembering] Team Rocket's plans to change the world through the power of Arceus has succeeded. Entire regions kneel under their control, massive armies march under their banner, and even history itself is held prisoner in its grip. Ash and his friends stand in defiance. But the reality and dreams they fight for will tear their alliances apart.
1. All Odds

**[[Author's Notes: 1)** This is a sequel to Arceus Drops: Remembering. If you have yet to read it, please do so now, as many characters, situations, and plots will seem extremely unfamiliar to you if you were to begin this story from this collection of works. **2)** Unlike Arceus Drops: Remembering, the author did not submit this work completely finished. It will be updated gradually. We thank you for your patience and apologize for any impatience.**]]**

* * *

"We need that alley covered up! We've got Rockets flooding in from the east!"

"Working on it!"

"They're going to be pouring through soon!"

"I said I'm working on it! I can only handle one fight at a time!"

"Use Double Team and Quick Attack to your advantage, Farron!"

"FINE!"

Growling through his teeth, the man wiped aside his khakied grey hair and scanned his surrounding opponents – searching for a weakness.

"Find breaks in their formations and split them!"

"I know, Leanne! That's what I'm doing!"

"You need to take them out one by one if you're going to have any chance!"

"I SAID I KNOW!" Farron scratched at his neck in frustration. "Umbreon! Double Team! Quick Attack the furthest group first! Aim for the Elektross then move down to the Tauros!"

"What are you doing?!"

"I'm the one that knows how to battle here! Trust me!"

In a flash of black and gold, the Moonlight Pokémon vanished into thin air – blurring in and out of visual reality as it closed in on its prey.

"Farron!"

"I said I know what I–"

His eyes went wide. A massive shadow covered the ground around him. The incoming assailant was far too close to avoid impact. Curses hissed from his lips as he blamed only himself for not seeing the flanking maneuver any sooner.

_Should've listened to her._

_Shut, it Trace. We've still got this._

He quickly swung his arm back, reaching for a particular poké ball that could save him from his mistake. His arm froze in place.

A giant stub-like limb wrapped around his wrist, preventing him from continuing his actions.

"Wh-What the–?!" Farron's arm tensed as the limb plucked from the ground like a ragdoll. He spun himself in its grip to face the large creature that moved far too fast for its size. His breath spiked as he found his answer.

An overgrown ball of blue hovered menacingly above him. Large spheres of red stared curiously into his features. The enormity of its eyes alone shocked the former Champion into silence. A jumpluff. Far too outsized to be considered just 'large'.

Farron tried to pull his wrist away from its hold. To no success.

He kicked at the open air below, attempting to find any form of drag or stop to hit the edges of his shoes – the lack of any stoppage only revealed the alarming distance forming between his feet and the ground. "Is someone going to help me out here?!"

"Learn to say 'please'!"

A roaring lion of blue fur and black mane leapt from the dirtied red rooftop to his left. Electricity sparked from its mouth, causing each strand of its mane to stand on end.

Alarmed, the jumpluff readied to dodge and counterattack – however, the weight of its recent victim slowed its reaction considerably.

The Thunder Fang hit home. Yellow energy fizzled and popped across the Grass-Flying Type's smooth surface. Not a scream, call, or yelp escaped its lips as the shock running through its system paralyzed it from tip to tip. Its movement stiffened completely and it began to sink from the sky.

With a shove, twist, and pull, Farron wrenched his arm away to freedom and fell to the ground below, landing in a limped roll.

"Learn to say 'thank you', too."

Tilting his head up, the freed Trainer smirked at the plainly dressed tomboy in front of him. "Thanks, Angie."

She shook her head in reaction. "Yeah whatever, you'd think for a Pokémon Champion you'd be mor–"

"Angie!" a harsh voice interrupted in irritation, "What do you think you're doing here?! I told you to cover the Pokémon Center!"

"I did, Ms. Bossy! But everyone came charging after you guys! I was standing out there like an idiot for ten minutes!"

"They wanted you to chase them! Now the Center's left wide open!"

"The Center's empty! We checked it from top to bottom! Ash ISN'T there!"

Leanne pulled off her glasses and squeezed them in growing frustration. "_Where in the world is he…_" A flash of light exploded down one walkway. However, she cared little to turn towards it.

Sounds and sights of battle continued to erupt around them, as they had been for the past hour. Chaotic scrambles, devastating clashes, and a never-ending flow of enemies faced them every other minute. Helicopters, trucks, and patrol units swarmed every last trace of escape and exit left for them. And most threatening of their predicament: They were alone.

None of the inhabitants of the once-friendly town of Solaceon was willing to help, guide, or hide them from the forces of the Rocket Empire… They were left trapped and exposed to confront the countless enemies and dangers with their own faltering strength and will, without assistance, without protection, without rest or pause.

Yet none of this concerned Leanne.

In her mind, she was confident in her ability to find an exit or an alternative to victory. She had strong confidence in her plans to attain whatever result was necessary – It was never a question of 'how', but of 'when'. Time was all that was necessary – all other details and factors could be found in abundance. But time was in short supply.

Time was running out. And with it, options were beginning to thin. Minor mistakes were soon becoming death threats – Unforeseen results were quickly becoming vicious dead ends.

They needed to find Ash.

_And Maylene and the Quinns_ – but Ash was their main priority.

"Any sign of the other girls!" she shouted towards the green-haired tomboy, who was currently busied by a furious Rocket that chased her across the field.

Angie dodged another lethal swing of the electric baton and ran towards her luxio for safety. "I have no idea where they are either! You're the first one I ran into out here!"

With a curse, Leanne pressed the device embedded against her ear. "Maya? May? Anything yet?"

The Coordinator's voice was the first to hiss through, _"Nothing yet over here. No Ash. No Quinn. No Maylene. You're sure they'd be here?"_

"_Their emotional traces went dim on this end." _the Empathic responded next. _"If they were here, they were here hours ago. I can't find anything distinguishable with all the other emotions around this town. They're all too loud."_

"Which 'they'? The Quinns or Ash and Maylene?"

"_Ash and Maylene. I think."_

"Keep looking. We need them out here now. There's no way we're leaving them here alone."

May chimed back in, _"Are you sure they're even in town still? What if they saw the soldiers coming and ran off… to find help maybe?"_

"They wouldn't leave us without telling us."

"_We are talking about the Quinns here."_ Maya voiced her thoughts. _"They are not exactly forthcoming when it comes to creating plans for protecting Sato."_

As much as she had expected nothing less from the Psychic, Leanne did not have the luxury of time to doubt. "No more talk about them being out of town. We can only assume they're here, given all the facts. Adjust your searches. May, move towards the Press Building. Maya, follow what little emotions you can still catch. We'll do our best to lower the interference."

"_Got it."_

"_On it."_

**-click-**

The device's sounds went blank. Radio silence for fifteen minutes after every major call, just as she had instructed, and the two females followed it perfectly… _unlike Angie, who never turned her communicator back on._

Leanne massaged her forehead and released a heavy sigh.

Time was running out.

Time was straining her thoughts.

_Sato… where in the world are you?_

* * *

"Now where in the world are we?"

"Y-You don't know? But you said you knew where we were going!"

"I did say I know where we were going. Because I can **see** where we're going. I know where we're going better than you."

"So where are we? What's it look like, at least?"

Pink eyes narrowed, the fighter surveyed the dark tunnels ahead and behind them. Her hand scraped against the wall, allowing her fingertips to feel for any textures that could guide or misguide them. Sounds of pebbles and dirt scraping against one another echoed, as her bare feet felt for any hidden switches or carved signs embedded on the floor.

Though she had the advantage of sight, there was nothing left to view once the lights had flickered away minutes before. _For all I know we're still in the lab…_ though every surface of the area she touched told her otherwise.

"This stuff's rock. Not plastic, metal, or concrete. Definitely rock."

"Rock? Weren't we inside a Pokémon Center?"

"I don't even know anymore."

Maylene pressed her head against the stone-surfaced wall, feeling its rough texture scrape and misshape the skin it came in contact with. Her sense of disappointment rose as she could feel the large tunnels vibrate. Whatever was occurring outside the labyrinthine walls of the Pokémon Center, could only have been a conflict of tremendous proportions. Nothing less than a poorly-timed construction job on the building itself could have caused such impossible-to-ignore tremors.

An epic battle raged endlessly outside; and she was missing out.

"I shouldn't have dragged us down here…"

"Er… Why _did_ you drag us down here?"

The pink-haired fighter turned and faced the shadow that had literally been following her blind all this time. _Ash…_

She shrugged. "I thought I saw Quinn go down here."

…

The young man's dark silhouette tilted its head in confusion. "…And?"

"She didn't look like she wanted to be followed. Shady business stuff, y'know?"

"So why'd you bring me?"

"Because if she saw me, she would have probably killed me. With _you_ around, I'm sure she would've actually explained herself before killing me."

"…But wouldn't bringing me along make her find us faster? I can't hide myself from her like you can."

Maylene slammed her palm against her face. "_Right!_ Why didn't I think that through?!"

"You could've at least waited for me to get Pikachu. He could've definitely helped out here… You know, in the dark and all."

"_Riiiight._" The realization earned her another self-prescribed palm to the face. "You're thinking things through better than I am now. You sure Sato ain't awake in there?"

"I can't see. So yeah. I'm pretty sure he isn't awake."

"_Whoever heard of a personality needing sleep…_" she grumbled to herself, trying to find at least a little humor in the moment. "Ah well. Since you're blind, why don't you lead? I can't see a darn thing down here either."

Ash scratched his chin as he quickly thought through his options. "Um… Are we still looking for Quinn? Or are we trying to find a way out? And do you know how far in we are? I remember a few turns, but I don't remember if they were exactly lefts or rights…"

"How should I know? I just went down whichever way still had a little light left. Thought that Quinn would keep following whichever path she could see. I mean, I don't think she'd run down a pitch-black corridor, would she?"

…

…

Maylene sighed.

Ash had adopted Quinn's knack of keeping quiet when an answer was supposedly obvious. It was an annoying trait for her, as not everything was so black and white and clear as day in her fashion of decision-making and planning. The majority of her ideas and leadership skills were always beneficial for expected environments, players, situations, and results.

But her travels with the male Trainer were anything but expected.

As nothing ever turned out like she had anticipated or hoped for, Maylene had quickly learned that it was best to 'wing it' and be prepared for anything. Because of that fact: nothing was obvious to her. And there was never a dull moment because of it.

_I can't believe I'm saying this, but: I kind of miss being bored._

"Alright, Ash. What now and where to?"

…

His shadow stepped aside, as if letting through something that had been waiting for this moment.

And for once, Maylene's guess was right – which surprised her in more than one fashion.

A yellow glow sparked into existence, and the rocky tunnels were given color and visual boundaries. An electabuzz stood proudly as the source of light – its striped fur tingling with electricity.

The Gym Leader winced at the sudden brightness. Her eyes could barely open larger than a narrowed slant, yet she still scanned the area for threats besides the Electric Pokémon. 'Who's there!' was what she wanted to shout, though she figured that Ash would already know – as he was the one who moved out of the way for the electabuzz. And because it was an electabuzz, the 'who' became obvious soon after.

"Quinn?"

"While it may be true that I would not have harmed you with Ash by your side…" A tall figure of midnight hair and blood red eyes appeared from the shadows. "You tend to forget that he and I share a bond. One that is impossible to ignore."

Adjusting her skin-tight uniform and equipment in the light, the Psychic nodded towards the young man before giving her full attention to Maylene. "The moment you invited him into the Pokémon Center, I had become immediately aware of your following."

"_Thanks for snitching, Ash._" The Veilstone Gym Leader sighed again. "Anyways, what are you doing sneaking around _in…_" The familiar sight of the black, red, and white designs forced the fighter into ignoring her original question. "Quinn? … Why are you wearing a Rocket uniform?"

"Information gathering."

"…As in…"

"Double-Agent work, yes."

Maylene gave an unsure look towards Ash…

…

…before remembering his slight handicap.

"Ash?"

"Yeah?"

"You okay with that?"

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"You know the answer to that." Ash leaned towards Quinn and patted her shoulder.

The action caused Maylene to flinch. Though she had gotten used to the fact that he was the only one Quinn or Sabrina ever allowed to touch her, the sight of anyone doing so casually still shocked her. Quinn was a woman of immense power – An individual who could easily rid of any foe without moving an inch of her body… _and he just pats her as if she's harmless._

"You don't trust Quinn?" he replied almost innocently.

"Er… _Considering that she…_"

"You can trust me, Maylene." the Psychic interrupted. A surprisingly sweet smile formed across her face. "I'm not the same Quinn I was before."

Maylene smiled back. Though before she could respond with a positive gesture, the Psychic shifted out of reality and reappeared just a step away from her.

Leaning down to glare at her with blood-chilling eyes, Quinn hissed menacingly, "_However, if I catch you spying on me again… I will ensure you will never be able to repeat that mistake a third time._" Turning away, she walked away with an air of nonchalant care. The Psychic waved for her electabuzz to follow. "I will contact the team as soon as I am able to. Do not track or pursue me. Please understand that this is merely for business hazard protection, _MayMay_."

Her use of the nickname reminded Maylene of Dominique's influence within the Quinns. It was a comforting realization to know that her friend was still there and a strong part component of what had made the unstoppable Psychic. Maylene may not have ever found real partnership with Sabrina – nor did she know enough about Casey – but she knew she could trust Dominique. _They'll be fine. No way she'll betray us with Dom in there._ "Good luck, Quinny! Don't be gone for too long!"

"_Do not call me that! And I do not plan to!"_ the voice echoed back in response. _"You watch over Sato and Ash for me! Do not mention that you found me around Leanne! It will only cause more problems!"_ Her figure disappeared into the darkness as electabuzz's yellow energy faded from view.

…

…

"**OH CRAP I STILL DON'T KNOW WHERE WE ARE!"**

* * *

"WE CAN'T WAIT FOR THEM ANY LONGER! WE'VE GOT TO GET OUT OF HERE RIGHT NOW!"

"No!" Leanne shouted back as she began her hurried estimations and calculations. Time was running short, but it was her only sense of measurement that she could use to save them now. Her mind began to compare and contrast the time it took them to have held off the first wave since the first attack, the time between intervals, the fluctuating rate of mistakes and flaws within every passing hour, the growing fatigue seen within each of the members, the – "Just… Ten minutes! I can squeeze out ten more minutes if you follow what I say!"

"We can't keep this up, Leanne!" the tomboy growled. She called back her bibarel and whispered an apology before pocketing the poké ball. Her attention returned to the blond-haired Battle Analyst. "Even with Maya and May's help there's no way we can hold out for more than five minutes!"

"Then give me five more minutes!"

A hand wrapped around her elbow and twisted roughly. "Ow!" She turned and found a furious Farron glaring down at her.

"Leanne, I said we need to get out of here NOW!"

"I'm not abandoning Sato!"

"And I ain't leavin' Ash." Angie threw in as support.

Farron glared towards her as well. "You said yourself that we can't keep this up!"

"Yeah. We can't. So either we all break off from this losing fight and just pick a spot to search for them, or we head straight for whoever's running this hunt on us! I'm not leaving Ash!"

"We have to stick together!" The Bianca of Unova's personality pushed itself to the fore, shifting Leanne's brown eyes into a noticeable green. "Sato told us to not lose each other and we won't! We're not going to run away just because we're losing! If we leave them here then… then we'll all lose!"

"Two against one, Farron. We're not retreating without Ash!" Angie nodded her head in victory. "…and Quinn and Maylene!" she added at the last minute.

Two more pokémon, Blastoise and Nidoking, fell unconscious – defeated from the overwhelming swarms of Empire Pokémon. Where they had failed in lasting a nearly endless battle, they succeeded in their single order of disarming and disabling all incoming forces that carried lethal weapons.

_Though they could have succeeded in both_, Farron thought to himself, _if I could've given them commands individually. But no. There's too many enemies. We were swarmed. All because of Sato._

_It wasn't all his fault, you know._ the familiar voice of the Pokémon Sketch-Artist rang an irritating tone within the mind of Farron.

A complete consensus was needed to ensure that the former Pokémon Master stayed in one form. Despite this, the three personalities residing within found little reason to agree or support the other. Concerns for the battle and their encroaching defeat loomed over Gary Oak's shoulders and thoughts. The futility of their struggle and the cause of that deadly discomfort were where Todd Snap focused most of his attention. And Tracey Sketchit placed his efforts into finding a neutral point for both his partners to work as one in order to help their friends.

As one, their combined skills would have easily matched that of the older, more experienced Pokémon Champion Farron. However, they had kept to themselves – apart and away from one another's decisions – unwilling to support the other for sake of urgency or unease.

_The battle is all that matters. Survival or victory. Whatever it takes with the fewest amount of casualties as possible…_

_Sato is at fault again – Ash is at fault again. We did everything we could up to this point just to save him, and he just runs off and endangers all of us. He was our greatest liability back then, and is our greatest liability now. He needs to be cut from the equation, for everyone's sake…_

_Our heads need to be kept on straight. We need to make sure that no one does anything irrational. Staying rational and sound in our decisions should be our main focus now. Teamwork and alliances shouldn't be broken for petty or panicked reasons…_

With their objectives split and finding no intersecting point anytime soon, separation was a far more enticing option.

'_Never separate in public. We can't risk anyone recognizing us as the original teams that raided the Rocket bases.'_ was Leanne's direct warning, however. And they followed it begrudgingly.

The only ones opposed to the warning was team Ramie – who was forced to stay separated from one another due to Maylene's recent disappearance.

"_This is just way too inconvenient._" Farron grumbled as he returned one more downed pokémon into its poké ball. "_How did we even get into this mess in the first place?_"

He regretted asking the question immediately.

Angie's resolute mood faded into depression.

"Farron!" Leanne growled angrily.

Nothing more was needed to be said. Farron had realized that his complaint was insensitive and foolish. It was a fumble of words and emotions – one formed from the stress of the moment. Whatever and however it came to be didn't matter in the end. The damage was done.

"_No… It's fine._" the tomboy responded quietly.

"Angie, I'm sorry. I didn't mean t–"

"I said it's fine." she said louder. "_It was stupid of me…_ I should be the one saying sorry."

…

He wanted to take back his words, to prevent her from spiraling down in an undeserved guilt, but he didn't have the time. No one had the time. A massive carrier helicopter came roaring into view and sped towards a landing spot across the other side of town. Reinforcements, far too many to counter or hold back, would be heading their way soon.

Leanne had noticed this as well, and her skin turned pale at the sight. "_Oh no…_"

She shook her head immediately after, forcing her eyes to return to their original brown. "We're out of time. Plan C it is."

Farron eyed her suspiciously. "We had a plan C?"

"Technically we have up to plan F. But C will do." A strange smile crawled across Leanne's face as she pulled out a small device. Her hand hovered it behind her other forearm – preventing anyone but those closest to her from seeing it on her person.

"And what in the world is that?" All of Farron focused on her now.

**Click.**

…

A deafening **boom** tore through the atmosphere.

Bird Pokémon scattered into the skies, the ground shook, the glass of windows cracked, and a strange humming silence echoed soon after. All actions halted, all stood still in shock and panic. Rocket and pokémon alike froze in their positions, eyeing their surroundings for the source of the unseen explosion.

Within seconds, each and every human Rocket Agent tapped into their radio frequencies. Silent orders were spreading quickly through the ranks. Confirmation callouts and code changes were made and given. Their perfectly honed coordination showed as they began an immediate retreat from the area. One by one, land and air transports exited their positions and removed all Rocket members from view. None were left behind – and no second guesses or question of authorities appeared. It was as if they were used to this exercise. _As if this was just an exercise._

Farron feared what a 'real mission' was for them…

Though Farron feared what had just occurred even more… "What the heck just happened?!"

"I had Dominique rig one of their bases with explosives." Leanne answered plainly.

"YOU WHAT?"

"We did it while we were passing that warhead area. It was a safety countermeasure in case we found ourselves in a tight spot." Her eyes faded into green. "Don't worry; most of the bang was around the building just to make it look bigger. The rest were placed in areas to slow down any movements inside the building itself. Just to make sure it feels like a threat to them."

Farron found himself speechless. _To have planned and readied this far ahead without any of us noticing… it's almost as terrifying as it is impressive._ _What else is Leanne hiding from us?_

"So wait. If you had that all along, **why didn't you just use it earlier?!**" Angie scratched at her hair in irritation.

"I would've preferred to use it later than sooner." she answered back, with her eyes returning to the plain shade of brown. "The same trick won't work twice – and we've just lost one of our best tricks. If we ever find trouble again, we'll have to find a different method of distraction."

"Yeah, maybe one that's not so loud."

The three nearly jumped in reaction to the fourth voice's appearance.

They turned to find an exhausted pink-haired female holding up a far more exhausted raven-haired figure.

"ASH!" Angie dashed forward to help lift him off the tired fighter's back, shortly followed by Leanne.

"I'm fine, by the way." Maylene laughed, at least thankful to have the weight off her shoulders.

Pocketing her glasses and dropping her newsboy cap to the ground, the Battle Analyst quickly checked Ash's pulse and temperature. She eyed him curiously as she felt for any cuts or bruises on his shoulders and arms.

_No obvious marks or strains on his clothing; no need to check under them for now. Body temperature showing signs of fever, but no other symptoms. Loosened muscle tension, little reflex reaction, stiffened back… Eyes faded in color; definitely not Sato. Cold sweat… Only one last item to diagnose._

"Let go for a second." She pushed the tomboy away, uncaring if the action was rude. Placing her hand against Ash's stomach, she leaned him forward and struck his back.

"Wh-What are you doing?!" Angie was ready to push her away this time.

Leanne gestured for her to stay put without looking her way. Her focus remained on the catatonic male's fingertips and mouth.

A small cloud of blue seeped from his lips.

"Aura exhaustion." She tilted him back and set him on the ground with care. "He's been using his Aura for far too long…"

"You could've just asked." Maylene raised her brow. "We got lost down in some ruins underneath the town. Like a maze down there. He used his Aura to light up the place so I could find our way out."

"What about Lucario?"

"Ash kept insisting that I keep him in the poké ball. Reserve his energy in case we ever got into a fight. I would've argued, but frankly, he seemed to have a better idea of what to do in that situation than me." The fighter shrugged with tired regret. "I didn't even know he was crippling himself until he fainted at the exit."

"At least he made himself useful." Farron added to the conversation. He sat his back against a wall and invited his wounded umbreon to lay by his side. "What were you two doing in some ruin? And where's Quinn?"

"Er… That's kind of a long story." She laughed weakly, unsure how to answer after the warning she was given.

The two other women didn't seem interested.

Angie busied herself with caring for Ash.

Leanne readied the device against her ear. "Maya? May? Rendezvous out in the plaza. We've got Ash."

"And Maylene, but no one cares apparently!" the fighter shouted in her direction.

She ignored it. "Yes. He's safe. The area's clear so you shouldn't have any trouble on your way here. But hurry either way – we don't know how long my distraction's going to pull them off."

…

Angie turned her communicator back on. "Really sorry about this again, guys…"

"_Don't beat yourself up over it, Anj. We all would've done the same thing."_

* * *

Route 209. Once a popular route for traveler to take on their way to and from Solaceon and Hearthome. Now a road rarely walked on by either residence's locals or even foreign travelers. The cemetery known as the Lost Tower was the only reason left for the citizens of Sinnoh to visit this path – and it was the sole reason why so few walked this route anymore. Funerals were watched over, held by, and even permitted by the Rocket Empire.

As part of the Cultural Unification Program – originally made when the Rocket Empire became the Sinnoh region's protectorate in order to encourage advancements in culture, knowledge, and technology through a 'global standard' – the Rocket Empire had direct involvement in the burial and treatment of those passed on. And because of this influence, Route 209 was always gauged, guided, and guarded. No one could pass without a guardian – no one could follow through with any action without a minder – and no one was allowed entrance without proper paperwork.

At least that was what Maylene had gathered when she first read the plaques and propaganda flyers posted at the entry gate. She recalled how easy it was to sneak past the guards the first time – and she thought it was pathetic that it was just as easy the second time.

Despite the security posted around the once-popular road, Route 209 remained as Sato and the group's best hideaway from the Rocket forces.

_No matter how much the world changes, Team Rocket still has problems with anyone who has half a mind to find a blind spot._ Maylene thought to herself._ And as long as we stay in their blind spot, we're as good as non-existent to them._

She shook her head. A part of her wondered if she ever had to stay under their shadow for so many years as a Rocket Agent – if she ever had to bother with a majority of the things she had to do just to escape them. It was never a matter of regret, but of curiosity. In truth, she was glad of where she ended up in life because of her experience with them. However, the incompetence found in the lower ranks of the Rocket Empire was simply impossible to ignore.

_How in the world could a pathetic group like them become this powerful?_

The answer soon became obvious in her thoughts: _It isn't the lower ranks where Team Rocket had its power – but the higher ranks._ It was the higher ranks that ruled over the regions. It was the higher ranks that had misguided the masses to believe their every word. And it was the higher ranks that had planned all… _this._ _All of this._

No longer did the Sinnoh region belong to itself. The citizens, the pokémon, and even the land itself seemed to bow to the Rocket Empire. Through careful re-education, frightening brute force, and masterful strategizing: Sinnoh fell into the hands of the 'Empire'.

_And it isn't just Sinnoh._

Kanto, Johto, and Hoenn also bowed to the _'Empire'_. Orre, Fiore, Almia, and the Orange Isles remained unknown in alliance. And Unova… _Unova was still fighting for its independence._

_Poor Bianca… _Maylene frowned. The Unova native had shown little sign of concern for her own region, but it had become obvious that she hid that wariness inside herself. Within any moment where news or conversation appeared about her home, she would find an excuse to escape into 'Leanne'. She rarely spoke of her home – and when she had, she had done it as Leanne.

_We'll throw the Empire right out of your doorstep, green-eyes. You can count on it._

"Tch. _'Empire'_…" the fighter growled. She reminded silently to herself that the 'Empire' had never existed – that it was simply an illusion. _No matter how real it feels._ "Team Rocket. That's all they are. Just with a new coat."

A new coat put on just a few weeks ago. _Weeks._ Though her body told her it was months due to the growing fatigue. And her mind played tricks with her by telling her it was years, being pulled in by the grand lie that they were able to make everyone believe.

_Weeks._ she repeated to herself. _Weeks._

Every part of her wanted to believe it was years. The false reality created by Team Rocket's command over Arceus was difficult to disregard. One command, _perhaps hundreds_ – however many, and they had changed the world. The world now bowed to them, ruled by them, and controlled through them. Arceus was theirs. And the universe was their playground.

They had failed to stop Team Rocket. Deceived and rerouted again and again, Ash, Maylene, May, Misty, Angie, Sabrina, and the others; all of them had been fooled by Team Rocket. _Distracted_. _And now here we are. Strangers in a land – a reality – that Team Rocket created._

_The lower ranks are nothing. Team Rocket's power comes from their head. And we underestimated it._

Maylene spat out a piece of bark that she had been chewing on, a habit she had gained from being around Angie for too long, and stood. She surveyed the canopy of trees one last time.

"_Maylene?"_ her headset clicked.

She took a deep breath in.

"Coming."

And leapt off the branch.


	2. Friends and Family

"Position, Maylene?"

"Behind you."

Leanne jumped in surprise.

"Y-You scared m-me…" her voice had become nervous and quiet, as it always had whenever she spoke to anyone but Sato within casual settings. Only the urgency and importance of battle, escape, and strategy had kept Leanne's personality strong and focused. Outside of such troubles – she would revert to a comparably odd form of shyness and humility.

Maylene smirked at the older woman's rather childish response. The Battle Analyst's personality outside of missions always made her seem younger and more innocent than the rest of the team. It was nothing short of endearing for anyone who witnessed it. "Hey, Leanne. Why aren't you separated? It's safe out in these woods, you know."

Leanne knew. She had been the one to choose the exact spot of their hideaway for its safety and privacy. Patrols and security forces were all that were stationed in Route 209, and that had made the Rocket Empire blind and ignorant due to that false sense of security.

No one goes in. No one goes out. Not without being spotted by their tight security. 'Tight security' had given them the weakness of overconfidence and underestimation. By covering 'every' base and angle of the path, the Rocket Empire had convinced themselves that Route 209 was 'impossible' to cross.

And so it had become the last place they would ever check or search.

Leanne knew. She predicted it, calculated it, risked it, and won it. The vast forests of Route 209 would now be their 'headquarters', their 'safe zone'. It was about the only place that she would allow any members of the team to split off from their unified avatar. …everyone except herself, it seemed.

In truth, Leanne wanted to separate from 'Leanne'. Though she was the only one of the group who was most comfortable at being unified, she could not deny that taking a break as individuals would have been relaxing. 'Leanne' thought too much, planned too much, and was paranoid of most things around her. As much as the heightened sense of awareness had felt 'right' for the three occupants of the blond female, it was still a stressing feeling.

But she could not separate. Because the Bianca of Unova did not want to be alone right now. Because the Bianca of Unova felt vulnerable and scared. Being 'Leanne' made her feel intelligent… an intelligence that allowed her to feel safe.

In reaction, her counterparts defended her desire to remain unified. The Bianca of Alto Mare and her partner Latias felt protective over their fellow Leanne. As long as the green-eyed female did not wish to be alone, they would stay by her side. As long as she did not want to be separate, they would stay as one.

"I-I'm fine for now, Maylene." she responded with a twitching smile, "I j-just want to stay as Leanne for a bit longer, if that's alright."

"Whatever works for you. Did you need me for something?"

"N-No… J-Just checking up on you. You were up in those trees f-for quite a while."

"Enjoying the scenery. It's quite nice up there."

…

Leanne didn't respond. She only gave a slight motion of the head. Whether it was a nod or simply her turning towards the direction she wanted to face – it was impossible to tell. When not in danger or pressure, Leanne was rarely clear with her social intentions.

"_Aaaanyways._" Maylene sighed at the awkward silence. "I'm going to go check on Ash. You wanna' come?"

"N-No, that's okay. You go ahead."

With a confirming wave, Maylene turned and jogged away.

Leanne watched the Veilstone City Gym Leader disappear into the crowded trees. In her heart, she did want to follow her and ensure that Ash was alright. But now wasn't the time. Not yet. Bianca still needed time alone.

In time Maylene completely vanished from view. And only then did the Battle Analyst allow the held sigh to escape her lips. Satisfied with being left alone, she removed her glasses.

Light released from her body, hovering and swirling around her with a faint glow. In seconds the light dispersed into three separate forms. Stepping to the left, a young female with faded auburn hair and white newsboy cap stretched and yawned. Hovering to the right, a pokémon of red and white patterns lowered itself to the forest floor slowly. Standing in the center, another female, this one with green eyes and blond hair, sighed depressingly.

"I'm really sorry about this."

"Don't trouble yourself over this, Bianca. We understand."

"I know, I just… I just really don't know what to do, BiBi."

The blond-haired Bianca from Unova called the other Bianca by the nickname Casey had stuck on her. Though the Alto Mare Bianca despised the name to a certain point, she had allowed others to use it in order to differentiate between the two of them: Bianca from Unova – Bianca from Alto Mare.

The two were not difficult to tell apart. Between the two, the Unova native was known for her blond hair and green eyes. The one from Alto Mare had plain-to-see brownish hair and eyes. Within personality-types, the one from Unova was seen as more talkative, clumsy, and emotional. The Alto Mare native, on the other hand, was considered simplistic and predictable in temperament. Completing the differentiation, the two were uniquely varied in height and skin tone as well. The Bianca of Unova had the trait of being tall, even for her age, and sported a rather light skin complexion due to a majority of her history spent indoors. In contrast, the Bianca of Alto Mare was slightly shorter than the average height of women her age – having stopped her growth just a few years back; her skin was tanned, gained recently from all her time spent sleeping under the sun.

The two were far too unlike the other to confuse.

But their shared name made it difficult for everyone else. If even one was called, both turned. If even one was referred to, the other could have been intended in mention.

In an attempt to resolve the puzzling similarity, the Bianca from Alto Mare 'officially' adopted the strange petname Casey had given her… 'BiBi'.

What she had not expected, and had regretted afterwards for quite some time, was that her similarly named blond friend would call her by the very nickname as well. With no one remaining in her team calling her by her real name after the change, the nickname's sound had only become more insulting and irritating in its sound. At the moment, however, she was in no position to complain.

Breathing in, she temporarily accepted the name as hers and moved onto more important matters. "I know, Bianca… I'm scared for my home too." She approached the blonde slowly and wrapped her arms around her shoulders. Pity hung heavily in her heart. With introspection, the Unova Bianca knew that she could not fathom how the other Bianca truly felt. Though she worried greatly for the island of Alto Mare, she had no idea what kind of family the Unova native left behind. Unlike the blonde, she had been raised as a practical independent within Alto Mare. Only her grandfather took care of her, and would often leave her to her own concerns and devices. Through that experience, she had confidence in herself to carry on and found no benefit in impatient worries.

The Bianca of Unova, however… owned a reputation for dependency and sensitivity. The troubles faced in the previous reality alone were enough to traumatize her. But the new reality had become even more daunting in scope and depth for her… Their world had lost themselves to the alterations and lies of a terrifying organization. No memorable acquaintances or friendships could ever recognize them, excepting the very ones who had changed the world for the worse. In comparison, the current reality was far more frightening and nerve-wracking for the Bianca of Unova – and without the safety of familiar faces and smiles, she found only so few ways to cope.

Though she could not fully comprehend how world-shattering the passing and current events were for her blond counterpart, Bianca knew that she needed privacy and comfort. Time and reassurance. Only then could one expect her to return her impossibly-happy smile and infinite optimism to the fore. _…I hope._

Latias, sensing the weight on both of her partners, levitated downwards and wrapped her body gently around the Unova Bianca.

The time together as 'Leanne' had built a strong bond between the three of them. Where Latias only seemed to give attention and affection towards Ash and her best friend Bianca, she had begun showing the same warm attachment for the Unova Bianca as well. Whatever either of the Biancas felt, she felt. When they experienced happiness, she felt glad. When they experienced stress or irritation, she felt protective. And when they were burdened by sadness, she felt compassionate.

The blond Bianca couldn't fully understand Latias' intentions like the Eon Pokémon's best friend could, but she deeply appreciated her empathy nonetheless. "Thank you, Latias…"

In reaction to the pokémon's caring touch, a portion of her inner emotions begged to cry, to break down and release everything she had ever held back. But she could not fathom where the 'everything' began or ended. The world frightened her, their situation scared her, she missed home, the things she had witnessed along the way were more than she could handle… but she had to hold strong. For the sake of everything, she _had_ to hold strong. If she wanted anything to return to normal, if she ever wanted to see her father again…

And that was it. That was where her 'everything' centered itself around.

She broke into a loud sob. Her body shook violently as she tore at the grass below her. She clawed at the dirt, hoping to bury herself. Away from the world. Away from reality. She didn't want to be here anymore. She didn't want to be a hero. She didn't want to be anything that required the sacrifice and burden she faced now.

The young woman next to her wrapped her arms tighter around her. She found herself crying with her. She had no idea what the poor girl was going through, but her howls of agony only pained her own heart into despair. "Shh, Bianca, it's okay…"

"D-Daddy!" she screamed.

Bianca gripped at her chest; the fear and hurt inside it were overwhelming. Its aches were fueled by the memories of what happened only recently. Lighting the fuel, what had occurred in Solaceon Town was worse than anything she could imagine. It had broken her entirely.

"_A-Angie's…_"

"I know. I know." The brown-haired Bianca petted her hair in comfort. She had feared that their most recent events would have been the reason that the blonde had become more hesitant and reclusive around the others. Now that the young woman had finally confessed it – it was obvious that they should have never hoped for so much.

_We should have never let Angie visit her parents._

* * *

"_To say that you're my daughter is an insult to my family! I don't know who you are or care as to why you would want to fool us with such ridiculous lies… But it's best if you leave. __**Now!**__"_

Angie replayed the memory in her mind for the third time that night.

In her thoughts, she wondered why her father's words had affected her to this point. The moment her family had called the Rocket Empire on them should have been more alarming, she considered. But the recollection of that moment hadn't sparked a single care within her. In retrospect, she found no surprise in that fact. It was only her father's last words that would continue to repeat in her thoughts.

_I screwed us up so much…_

The group had snuck, raced, crawled, swam, hiked, struggled, and fought their way to Solaceon Town from Battle Island. It was nothing short of a punishing and breaking journey. And they had dragged their weary bodies and wary minds to the soil of the town "Free of Worry" in search for rest and comfort. They sought a contact, a safehouse, anything that could have given them solid ground and a direction of where to head next.

Quinn had originally suggested making contact with any Resistance groups within the proximity, particularly the one named Operation Beta. But the plan had fallen flat at almost every turn. Any and all Resistance groups and their members were like ghosts: One could always find where they had been and what they had done – but what and where they were now were never certain.

With that plan falling through, they had followed the second suggestion. Angie's suggestion: To get in contact with her parents.

In time, they could have all gotten in contact with any of their relatives or close friends, but hers were the closest to their last location. Even if it had been a small hope, any form of connection or safety would have been welcoming and comforting…

Their troublesome visit with her parents, however, only confirmed the fact that they no longer could depend on anyone but themselves. They found that they were absolutely alone in their new reality; illusion or not.

Unlike its worrisome ending, the beginning of their visit had been welcoming and friendly. Her parents were originally willing to look after them, hear out their stories, and even offered their own stories of distaste for the Rocket Empire's decisions and influence. But there was nothing more. Her own mother and father could not recognize her. None of her old belongings graced any portion of her now-unfamiliar home. No relation was left between her and her family. And even more discomforting: her parents had another daughter – the same age as Angie. Despite this odd turn of events, Angie found that she bonded well with the young woman. _As if we really were sisters._

Even if their situation had not turned out how they had predicted, they had all admitted it was satisfactory enough. Angie's parents may not have recognized her, but they fed them, allowed them to bathe, and treated them as favored guests. It was a comfort, whether planned or not.

Quinn's reaction to the comfort, however…

"_We need access to any Resistance cells. Would you know of any nearby ones?"_

Her straightforward inquiry had sparked an unsettling fear and panic within Angie's family.

And while Angie had considered it to be a stupid question for anyone to ask – she knew that the Psychic intended it.

Throughout their entire experience with Angie's once-family, Quinn had shown impatience and irritation. She had known for a fact that the tomboy's family had no connections with the Resistance, and that the team was simply taking advantage of the hospitality to feel relief and safety that they had not felt in weeks. They were stalling the mission purposefully… with many of them holding the intention of never returning to face it. The many had believed that they had already gone through too much. Just one break, no matter how long or short, would have been reward enough for their unknown heroic actions.

But the 'break' had lasted for too long, and Quinn knew that none of them wanted to return to the mission at hand. They wanted a hiatus. A hiatus they could not afford. Resistance groups within the Sinnoh region were being snuffed out one after the other – prolonging their search for one would have only forced them to travel into a new region.

Angie had done her best to convince her that they just needed more time. But Quinn could easily read thoughts, and with Sabrina, she could read intentions of the heart clearly: The tomboy did not intend on giving the team more time… she intended to give herself more time. Time to convince her family to join them, to become a part of their group.

"_Those meant to help us will begin to remember the past that they had lost. They would not be fully affected by the changes that Arceus had made. Anything such as a slip of tongue, a headache, or signs of disorientation when being near Sato would be our clue that they were meant to join us. But within the past three hours, none of them showed any signs."_

One more hour was all she begged for. _"Just one more hour."_

And within that hour, Quinn had asked that question – and disappeared shortly after. Leaving the rest of them to deal with the problems and arguments that followed.

Then Maylene had vanished with Ash.

Then the panicked call to the Empire was made.

Then everything crumbled into chaos.

"_To say that you're my daughter is an insult to my family! I don't know who you are or care as to why you would want to fool us with such ridiculous lies… But it's best if you leave. __**Now!**__"_

And yet her father's words bothered her the most.

Long after the adrenaline-rushed battle they had held for more hours than necessary… After exhausting all their energy in their burdened escape… It was only her father's words that remained in her mind.

Angie leaned her head back and pressed it against Ash's shoulder.

He was awake now, fully recovered from the Aura exhaustion he had suffered from just hours prior. And after hearing everything that had occurred in his absence, had given his full attention to his best friend.

"Pika pi…" the yellow Mouse Pokémon also did his best to comfort her. He had lacked the Empathy that his Trainer had, but body language was all that was needed to find the unease in Angie's troubled thoughts. "Pika?"

"Yeah, I'll be okay, Pikachu." Angie smiled and ran her fingers through his fur. "Who needs 'em, right?"

…

…

Ash continued to remain silent.

Though he was comforting her with his physical attention, he hadn't mentioned a single reassuring phrase or encouraging joke.

Angie was glad he didn't. The young man from Pallet Town understood her more than anyone else in her life. More than her friends, more than her pokémon, more than… _my family_.

In her heart, she knew she just needed to understand what had occurred, to accept it. And she needed time for that. And she needed him to be there. _Just in case time isn't enough._

"_Ash?_"

Misty squeezed herself through a thick crowd of bushes and landed roughly in the opening.

"_Ow_… Ash?"

She looked up to find the young man she had been searching for. He had one finger up to his lip. Using his other hand, he tapped at his chest. A signal to speak through Empathy.

Looking to the right, the Cerulean City Gym Leader noticed Angie in a miserable state. The tomboy had her head pressed against Ash's shoulder. A scene such as this would have easily made Misty jealous in the past. But in their journey together, she had grown quite used to finding one of three girls around Ash at all times.

Casey would be found ever vigilant by his side, unmoving like a stone guardian.

If absent, Sabrina would always be seen petting the young man's head on her lap. Treating him similarly to a pet.

And if neither girl were found near him, Angie would then mysteriously appear by his side. They were often difficult to find, and with one leaning against the other.

Finding any of them in such a position used to aggravate Misty. But time and experience had allowed understanding to take her temper's place. Each member in the team had their own way of expressing their relationship with the young man, and Misty found no jealousy in their immature dependence and childish clinginess towards him.

_She still feeling down?_ Misty felt inside herself, waiting for the familiar tingle when Ash would respond.

_Yeah._ And there it was; that funny tingle. _I don't blame her. If my mom said that stuff to me, I wouldn't be happy either._

_I don't know what any of us expected, in all honesty. We knew everyone would forget. Friends. Family. They'd all forget._

_It was our only hope outside of finding the Resistance to get any help out here._ Ash reminded. _We had the advantage back when the world was the way it was. But now, with everything changed, it's Team Rocket's ga–_

_No need to repeat what Quinn said_, Misty interrupted, _We all heard it a hundred times before._

She sighed and walked up to one of the trees nearest him. Carefully letting herself down so that she would not disturb the troubled tomboy, she sat with her back against the rough bark and faced the blind young man. _So Ash… Where did you and Maylene go?_

_We went to find Quinn. Maylene said she found her sneaking off to the Pokémon Center._

_So you did go inside there! I knew I wasn't wrong when I got that feeling! Everything pointed to the Pokémon Center, but it'd just disappear._

_There was a secret passageway somewhere in there._

_So did you find Quinn?_

_Already knew where she was and what she was planning._ Ash pointed to his head. _Bond and all that, you know?_

Misty flinched. She suppressed a surge of jealousy filling inside her. Sabrina willfully spending all her time around the young man no longer bothered her, but the 'bond' the two shared was a completely different story.

As the woman named Maya, she and Ash shared a strong connection through Empathy – holding a sense of closeness to one another that could not be replicated within the team. The ability to read the emotions, heart, and intention of the other helped the two understand one another on several matters in their deepest levels. Every matter except the mind…

But it wasn't the mental connection alone between Ash and Sabrina that Misty worried over. Quinn and Sabrina's 'bond' with Sato and Ash took their unphysical union to an absolutely unfathomable level. The 'bond' was beyond the matters of the heart and mind. It was as if the other understood, saw, and heard the other in a way that could only be spoken through Fate itself.

It bothered her greatly. Misty had little superstition compared to Maya, but she carried a belief in supernatural connections to a strong degree. And everything she had experienced in her unbelievable adventure with Ash only confirmed that those feelings and concerns were valid.

_Anyways_, Ash interrupted her thoughts. She knew he could feel everything she was feeling. His Empathic connection to her was more of a fact of life to her than an afterthought – and she had no care to hide her innermost reflections from him. _As I was saying…_

_Hey, you read me. I was working hard so it wouldn't be a bother._ Misty defended herself from his accusing change of subjects. _You don't need to switch topics. I can handle it._

_Okay, okay. But I was just going to say that Quinn is working both sides._

_Working… both… sides?_

_Double-agent work._

_WHAT?!_ It took all of the orange-haired tomboy's control to keep herself from shouting.

Ash held his hands up to show that the situation was out of his control. _We need information, a connection, anything before we can keep going. We've been travelling for weeks with no direction. We don't know where to start. So –_

_I know our situation, Ash! That's not the point! The point is we can't have Quinn doing double-agent work! You know how that turned out when it was just between Quinn and Sato!_

_You don't trust her?_

_I… want to trust her. But we don't really have much evidence to say she won't go and betray us._

_You've got me._

Her face turned slightly pink. _Wh-What?_

He held down his own blush. _Y-You know. As in, y-you can trust me! If you can trust me, you can trust her. I'll make sure she doesn't do anything that'll endanger the rest of us._

Misty nodded. _…So you're sure she won't run off with the Rocket Empire?_

_She said she won't be gone for too long. Just gathering as much information as she can, then she'll head straight back to us._

_And how are we supposed to find her?_

_She's Quinn. She'll find us. _Ash smiled.

"Alright, whatever." Misty shrugged and got to her feet. "But you better keep an eye on that woman."

Angie sat up immediately and looked around. Her eyes locked with the Gym Leader's. "M-Misty? How long have you been here?"

Ash sighed and tapped his lip. _I told you to stay quiet._

_But you better keep an eye on that woman._ she felt towards him, mocking his warning.

"Hey Anj. I was just heading out. Going to go check up on the rest. You two enjoy your time resting." Misty yawned and walked off.

…

"You guys talking behind my back?" Angie elbowed Ash's rib.

He let out a slight cough of pain. "No. Just catching her up on everything."

"Still counts as talking behind my back when I can't hear it." She gave one more jab before leaning against him again. "_…Thanks, though._"

"For what?"

"Staying."

She returned to her thoughts and tried to relax.

* * *

A muddled mess of pink hair popped out from behind a tree. "You seen Ash around here?"

"Can't say I have, sorry."

"Neither have I. Tell me when you find him, though."

"Alright. See you two later. Tell me who wins!" The pink hair nodded and disappeared.

"_I already know who's going to win…_" May grumbled in depression. She looked through her cards one more time and sighed. "I suck at this game."

"No, you don't. You're just revealing your intentions too much. Try to suppress it more."

"I'm trying! It's just… so hard!"

"_That's what she said!"_ Maylene's voice echoed in the distance.

May snorted immaturely.

"Focus, May."

"Right. Sorry, sorry." The Coordinator took a deep breath in and closed her eyes. _Focus on instinct. No emotions. Just… instincts._ She opened her eyes again and stared at her cards. Her hand grabbed an Energy Card and placed it behind her dunsparce on the Bench. "End turn."

"Good job. I couldn't even read that move this time around."

"Thanks, Anabel!" She grinned proudly.

"Stay focused." The Frontier Brain frowned. "Even breaking off your concentration for one second can reveal everything you've intended or still intending."

"Sorry, I –"

"If you were sorry you wouldn't have done it in the first place. Focus!"

May took a deep breath and focused.

She hoped dearly that she was focusing this time. Deep down she wanted to smack the lilac-eyed woman across the face. Her sharp words and unforgiving nature was beginning to irritate her immensely. _And the superior look in her eyes, and that cocky little smirk…_

_I can hear your emotions VERY clearly, May._ Anabel narrowed her eyes and sent a powerful jolt of empathy at the Coordinator.

May released a painful gasp. The burst of emotions that hit her made her heart pump irregularly and her muscles tense. Her entire body flexed and loosened in the strangest manners. She shook it off just seconds after. The sobering blow had reminded her just how effective the Frontier Brain was with her Empathy – which reminded her how much further she had to go.

Since the start of their new journey within the changed world, the Salon Maiden Anabel had suggested on several occasions to train May in her Empathy. With the enemy having gained the advantage in almost every platform, she believed that there was no more room for mistakes or weaknesses when facing them. In that belief, she pushed to extend her teachings to May rather than continuing with perfecting Ash's. In her mind Ash had already advanced far with his Empathy, but the Princess of Hoenn remained lacking.

However, May refused with every offer. She seemed reluctant to be trained by a 'Maya'. _"Ash can train me." _she would constantly reply. Though the logic was flawed, as the Quinns would never allow her near him during his own moments of privacy.

Then came the Hunters.

Revealing that Team Rocket had learned from their previous encounters with Ash and the group – the organization had formed elite teams called the 'Hunters' to capture all Psychics and Empathics wherever they appeared.

Fights with Hunters were beyond difficult, and often had to be retreated from in most encounters. Escapes were often narrow and painful.

May had finally agreed to be trained by Anabel after the fourth time their team had run into a group of Hunters… especially for the reason that it was her fault that they were 'hunted' each time. The Coordinator had very little control of her Empathy – her ability to express and sense emotions were difficult to ignore… and Hunters seemed to recognize this as if it were as physical as a scent or footprint.

"_As long as you can control your Empathy and emotions, they won't be able to find out that you're an Empathic."_ Anabel had told her.

And so she begrudgingly continued her training. _Just until Hunters won't be able to find me anymore. _she reminded herself.

"Solar Suggestion. I move three of my damage counters off Espeon and move it onto your gliscor on the Field. He's now fainted and I get to draw a Prize Card." Anabel gave another smirk of pride as she slipped a card into her hand.

May grit her teeth.

"Something wrong?" the Frontier Brain asked innocently, uncaring to hide its insulting falsity.

"Th-That move…" The Coordinator struggled to hold her temper. "Is too overpowered."

"I don't think so. All things have a weakness and a strength. There's no such thing as 'overpowered' or 'invincible' – only a strategy that has not been found."

"You can only say that because you're winning."

"It's not about winning. It's about succeeding in your intentions. If you feel as if you've failed, then you must have put your intentions in the wrong place."

"You read that in a fancy book or just pull it out of you're a–"

"Focus. I can read your intentions too easily."

May now regretted her decision in asking to train by playing the Pokémon Training Card Game… _This is more frustrating than that Push-Pull exercise._

"You're the one that asked for it." Anabel shrugged as she looked through her cards.

"I _know_." May growled. "And that just makes all of this worse."

"If you can focus, then you'll find that it won't hurt as much."

"Maybe I _want_ it to hurt."

"Masochistic?"

"No, I just think a person should value their pride and honor. If a person didn't get upset over losing at something they said they were the best in – I don't think they had a right to be the best in the first place, because someone else would've appreciated that spot more than them."

"You've got to let go of pride sometimes in order to protect what really matters."

"And what's that?"

"Others."

May shook her head and gave a slight chuckle. "You always know what to say, don't you, Ms. Perfect?"

"No. I'm just careful with what I say and do. I won't say something unless I really mean it."

_Like how you honestly didn't know what I was feeling when you asked me 'something wrong'?_ May rolled her eyes.

"Sometimes the effects of your words are more honest than the literal meaning behind them." Anabel responded.

"Always have a perfect answer…" The Coordinator gave up in her attempts of trying to prove her 'master' wrong. She pulled the card off the top of her deck and shuffled it into her hand. "But like you said…" _Nothing's invincible._

Closing off her emotions completely, May snuck a hidden card from one of her pockets and slid it into the deck. _Angie's a terrible influence._ A smirk ran across her face… yet the far more experienced Empathic could not read it.

* * *

Dawn mixed her poké balls again.

Her eyes closed as she turned her face away from the mix. While trying to ignore what her fingers felt, she grabbed the poké ball furthest to the left. Before her mind could register any guesses, she felt at her heart. "Typhlosion." she said.

Clicking the central button of the device, the poké ball expanded, letting out the familiar vacuum-like sound.

"Go!"

She threw the poké ball into the air and opened her eyes.

A flash of red shot out and struck the ground.

Covered in thick brown hair and wearing massive tusks, a mamoswine grunted from its slumber.

"_Shoot_!" Dawn shook her head and massaged her neck. "Sorry about that again, Mamoswine. Return." She lifted the poké ball off the grass and aimed it at the Twin Tusk Pokémon. A red light spiraled from the ball and engulfed the mamoswine in seconds, returning it to its home container.

"Why can't I get this right?!" the blue-haired Coordinator shouted at herself as she began mixing the poké balls again. _It's so easy when I'm 'Maya'… Why can't I do it now? It feels so natural, and I can feel it right at my chest. So why can't I do it now?_

Dawn fell to the grass in defeat and rolled over. She pressed her skirt flat quickly, in case anyone mysteriously appeared – _which seems to happen a lot when travelling with Ash now_.

Her eyes stared angrily at the poké balls. With almost every moment she had alone, the Coordinator would do her best to replicate the Empathy she had shared the ability of when combined with Misty and Anabel. Anabel was a powerful Empathic, and Misty was trained to sense Ash's own empathy. But Dawn had neither of the sorts. These traits had not bothered her when she was unified as 'Maya'; Maya was far more experienced than Anabel, and her abilities with Empathy were astonishing – yet felt easy to control.

Through hard-learned experiences and lessons, however, Dawn realized that she needed to just be herself from time to time. Misty and Anabel had to be themselves from time to time. Every single member of the group that was unified needed to be themselves at one point or another. Staying unified in one form for too long was often stressing and filled them with anxiety. The only ones who seemed to be the most comfortable with it were Quinn and Leanne. _But they're not exactly great examples to go by. Both of them prefer their combined form of thinking more than their separate ideas._

For Dawn, she still could not fully become used to being bound with Misty and Anabel for too long. They were like sisters to her now, but hardly what she would have called a perfect fit.

And in the end, which mattered most to her, she still felt that she was 'just Dawn'. Maya or no Maya, she herself as an undeserving member of the team.

As 'Maya', she was someone important – someone perfect. Someone who had a solid history, a solid life, a solid mind. As Dawn… she was still unaccomplished and unsure. She herself never completed any dreams she wanted, or attained any skill that she could pride over. Dawn was still 'just Dawn'. A girl with nothing of value to her name despite preferring to remain as herself.

_But if I can just learn how to use Empathy like I could as 'Maya', then I'd be worth something._ _Worth something. Worth anything._

She thought back to memories long passed… memories of when she had held near infinite confidence. When no challenge seemed impossible to her – and when she could accomplish anything she put her mind to. In introspection, she was aware that she was still capable of being that 'old self'. _…but standing around Sabrina… Misty… Anabel… Maylene… May… even Angie? It's like standing under giants. They all deserve to be here. To be who they are. But what have I done? What have I done that mattered in the end?_

_I haven't done it yet. And I still can. I know it._

Her hand mixed the poké balls again. "One more time… just like Maya. I can do this."

* * *

"Are you okay?"

Leanne stopped in her tracks and turned.

Sitting against a boulder that stood mysteriously in an open patch of land, a man of black-green hair and gentle eyes adjusted the reddish orange bandana against his forehead. He gave a friendly smile, yet showed concern with his tone.

Tracey Sketchit. One of the Farrons, and a woefully ignored member of the team.

Though the Pokémon Sketch-Artist had originally been treated as a mature peer by the others, his reputation had faltered immensely weeks before. When the team had faced the threat of 'the darkness' and depended on perfect cooperation in order to succeed, he had been the one to sow seeds of doubt amongst the group. While many shared his concerns, his direct showings of mistrust and fear of Ash's actions had created an uneasy atmosphere that was difficult to calm.

His mistrusts and fears were erased when Ash had 'perished' due to their apprehensions towards his command. All arguments he had initially held had become moot from that point on. He was wrong. They were all wrong. And he had been the one to lead that mistake. To further push that guilt, it was revealed to them as a fact that the incident would have never occurred if they had simply put trust in one another. In the weeks following that revelation, his standing in the group had continuously dropped by large measures.

And now he was simply 'the guy over there'. 'One of the Farrons'. 'The Sketch-Artist'. He was still 'Tracey', but the name no longer held the same weight it used to have. In recent days he was only viewed as a necessity for Farron to be himself. A necessary add-on in everyone's eyes. Spared from being treated as a pariah, but avoided from being mentioned as a 'good friend'.

Leanne often would, however.

In the passing weeks, Tracey was the only one to approach Leanne directly about her emotions and stresses of the moment. What had surprised her the most was the fact that he never seemed to target his concerns towards the Bianca from Unova… but simply towards 'Leanne'. Or rather, that's what she constantly told herself.

Two parts of 'Leanne', however, were well aware of whom Tracey was truly concerned for – a part of 'Leanne' that was treated almost in the same fashion as the Sketch-Artist himself. She was never cared less for because of an event or evidence. She was ignored simply because she did not make an impression like the others: The Bianca from the perfect island community of Alto Mare. She had no specialty or ability that made her an invaluable asset to the team. Her personality held no memorable accent or behavior that highlighted her from the rest. And worse of all – the others saw her as just a tag-along. She was present because her best friend, Latias, was present. There was nothing left for her to offer the group other than her portion as 'Leanne' beyond that.

Previously, when the others were at a loss from Ash's 'absence', Bianca had taken her role as 'Leanne' seriously. She had replaced her original name with her persona's – taking the personality and role of the woman she was supposed to be a reincarnation and extension of. And in that function: she served perfectly.

She led, she guided, and she judged. And in their confusion and loss – they only had her as their director after they believed they had nothing left to fight for. The Bianca that called herself 'Leanne' gave them the foundation they needed to stand and move forward.

But that necessity had long passed. Unified with the other Bianca and Latias, they had made a far more accurate representation of 'Leanne'. No one needed her to symbolize Leanne's role, as she was already there in physical form. And with the end of that importance, she returned to the background quietly.

The Bianca from Alto Mare was now just 'BiBi'. Nothing more, nothing less. Treated with little attention or personal care by most of the team.

Except by Tracey.

In connection, they were passionate artists, they were regarded by others with indifference, and most importantly: they shared in the apathy of how others saw them.

They wanted to give everything they had and could offer to their friends. There was little reason or yearning to try to make themselves 'more useful', 'more unique', or 'more likeable'. In their eyes, they had given as much as they wanted to give. In their view, there was no room to care for their own titles or reputations. All that mattered were the others.

In that ideal, the two saw each other as friends. Near to becoming kindred spirits in many ways. They were the balancers and neutral points for the team. The solid minds. The unbiased hearts. The helping souls.

At least… that's how Sketchit viewed them.

"Um…"

Leanne's eyes shifted in alternating colors. Whatever internal struggle was occurring inside was made physical. Tracey wondered if it was a good or bad sign.

"I asked if you were okay." he repeated. His shoulders relaxed and his smile flinched as he attempted to do his best to seem more approachable.

"F-Fine. We're fine."

Tracey scratched his hair in nervousness. "That's good. That's good." His eyes moved away. It wasn't the answer he was looking for, but he was glad she at least responded. "You three take care, okay? Especially you, Bianca. The Alto Mare one, that is. You've been pushing yourself a lot since yesterday. Take it easy for a bit. We'll need your head clear, that is."

…

Leanne broke away her stare and nodded nervously. "Mm." was all she managed to say. She turned and marched stiffly down the forest opening.

The Sketch-Artist moved his attention back down to the pencil and crumpled paper in his lap. _What I wouldn't do for a proper sketchpad…_

…

_I'm telling you he likes you! Say something to him!_

_No. No. You girls are looking into it too much._

_Just stop._ Leanne's body stopped in its tracks. _And turn around. _Her head turned. _And just talk to him! _Her entire body turned this time.

With a flex, she spun on the ball of her heels and continued her stride to her initial destination. _Tracey's a friend. You know how I feel about this. I'm not interested._

_But he's so nice! He asks you how you are almost every day._

_So does Ash. And he asks twice a day._

_BiBi…_

_No. No. No. Don't get into this discussion again, Bianca. I'm not going to –_

_Look, even Latias –_

_Latias just agrees with you because you're trying to look out for me. She'll agree with me too if I gave her the positives about what I want._

_BiBi, stop!_

A flash of light burst out and the green-eyed Bianca forced the three of them to separate.

She turned and faced her shorter counterpart with concern. "Look, BiBi… I like Ash too, but I don't think…"

"I don't just_ like _Ash. And you haven't even spent more than ten minutes alone with him – I doubt you _'like him too'_."

"It's just…"

"Don't start this again."

"BiBi, you… He won't ever choose us."

The brown-haired Bianca groaned and shuffled towards the nearest tree. Her forehead planted roughly against its bark. A louder groan rumbled from her throat. "I _said_ don't say it!"

"I kind of didn't." The other Bianca twisted her hair in nervous guilt. "Just… BiBi, even Leanne knew that the chances weren't that big. The other girls –"

"Look, can we talk about this another time? We really do not have the time for this. We've got bigger things to worry about."

"But when will we ever talk about it? I get the feeling that even if we somehow save the world a hundred times, you still wouldn't want to talk about it."

BiBi removed her newsboy cap and rolled against the tree until she faced both Bianca and Latias. The red and white Eon Pokémon returned her glance with an understanding frown. She realized that she had caused another fight between the two Biancas, and that had regretted its results. But the blonde's point of view always felt more convincing than her best friend's.

"Look, you two." BiBi sighed. "Leanne could plan anything out. She just needed time. No need for a billion chances, just time. Give me time, and I'll… get Ash to see me. Maybe win over Sato as Leanne. Just need time. I know you'll agree with me if you just waited a bit longer. Just talk to him more, be around him more, you'll… _see…_ you will…"

Her confidence was slowly breaking. As Leanne, she felt nothing but confidence on the subject. But as 'BiBi', she felt… _I'm just in denial, aren't I?_

She ran her fingers through her hair and exhaled in frustration. "It's just… _with Angie and Misty and…_ I mean, we still have a chance! The Quinns are gone… _Who knows for how long though…_ I just…" Her eyes blinked quickly. The Bianca from Alto Mare never seemed to cry in front of anyone in her team, but she always blinked, fluttering her eyelashes as if she were trying to catch someone's attention with them.

Latias hovered towards her and nuzzled her head against her best friend's chest. Bianca shortly followed with an unsure hug. BiBi nodded. "Sorry. But can we really just stop talking about this? At least for now? Just not now. _I just want to talk to him._"

"Okay, BiBi. Whatever you want." Bianca smiled sympathetically and pulled out her red-framed glasses. She adjusted them against her eyes.

As if it were the very switch for their unification, a bright light surrounded the three of them. Leanne reappeared in the flesh. Her eyes were green. "I'll take over for now." she said to herself. "You just relax. We'll be there soon, okay?"

She nodded.

With a heavy sigh, Leanne hopped into a long stride into the deep forest.

_I'll deal with it later. I just need time._ they each said to themselves.

As Leanne, they had all the time in the world.

* * *

"How you holding up?"

"Fine." Angie passed Gary by quickly.

"Wait."

She didn't.

"I'm sorry for earlier. What I said as Farron, that is. I didn't mea–"

The tomboy turned, landing her golden eyes on the Pokémon Researcher. "What are you apologizing for? I know that was Todd saying it."

Gary flinched. "How did –… Nevermind. I still take full responsibility for it."

"Oh. That's, er, nice."

…

Angie looked at her surroundings. Her foot kicked at the grass. She had always felt awkward talking with Gary alone. The tomboy had nothing against him. And he never mistreated her. Yet that was exactly what made her uncomfortable. Gary was a gentleman towards her for little to no reason. He had treated other women with the same form of respect and care, but he always gave her special attention. His personal time was mostly spent training his pokémon, in order to better fit his combined avatar. Yet he would even move those very exercises and responsibilities aside just to be able to talk with her in private.

Umbreon and Scizor stood tiredly behind him, further proving that observation as a fact.

Angie was never completely dense to these matters. She knew when a guy was giving her special attention if they were trying to woo her. _Most times, at least._ The tomboy personally had little experience with that kind of treatment – as most confused her for a young boy more often than she'd like – but she was still aware of the social dances involved in relational interests. She's read books on the matter. _Okay, well, one book. But still, it counts._

And in all her assumptions and thoughts and even distant traces of intuition – something she had very little of – she knew for a fact Gary did not feel 'that way' towards her. He cared deeply for her and watched over her, yet he had no direct romantic interest for her. She had seen him consider it before, but never followed through with it. Which suited her just fine. Gary was a playboy, flirting with every girl who had anything that made him even slightly interested. Angie had no time for sweet-nothings that would lead to nothing.

_Besides, I'm not interested._

It was a thought she had reflected on several times to ensure she truly held no interest for him. Gary Oak was a catch, and to have him at one's beck and call only showed how special one was. He was a trophy. _He is a trophy._ And for that, she would entertain the idea of creating a stronger relationship with him.

But she had no interest. No matter how much she thought about it, he simply was not what she was looking for. She had no specific guideline for what kind of guy to look for. No list, no factors, no standards – none of those.

For her, it was just Ash.

It wasn't about genders, behaviors, physical attractions, mindsets, goals, or even political and spiritual viewpoints. It was just Ash. She had no interest in anyone else. Everyone else, to her, was a shallow choice.

Gary was no Ash. _Gary never will be my Ash._

_Er… I mean 'Ash'. I really have to stop with that 'my' stuff._

…

She continued to stand awkwardly at the silence.

Gary cleared his throat. "Okay, just wanted to make sure you knew that. I apologize again."

"…Thanks?"

"Take care. Don't push yourself too hard. You're starting to get bags under your eyes."

"Oh. Okay." She turned to leave.

"How's Ash treating you?"

"Fine."

"And Sato?"

"Haven't talked to him in a while."

"Mm. How are the other two doing?"

The question was vague, but she knew exactly who he meant. "May's doing good. Her stomach sickness from last week is gone. And Maylene's still Maylene."

"Good… Good. Take care, Anj."

"Yeah, sure. You too." She walked off. _Finally._

Four questions. They were the same four questions he had asked her almost every other day. _'How are you?' 'How are you and Ash?' 'Sato?' 'How are May and Maylene?_' In the same order every time. Gary never held much of a conversation with her outside of those questions unless they were speaking within a group. He seemed content knowing the answers to those same four questions. Or at least content in asking them.

Angie wondered why Gary had always done that. He only seemed to ask her the same questions every other day – With others, he would always change the questions and tone, and even strike conversations with them. But for her, it was the same four questions in the same exact tone.

It constantly put her on edge. As if there was something more, but there never was.

In a certain perspective she considered, Gary treated her like a younger sister. A distant younger sister. _As if the sister had grown too old for the brother to take care of anymore – so he only asked simple questions, to respect her independence and personal life._ She almost found it sweet. _Almost._

What bothered her was that Gary had no reason to treat her that way. The two never bonded much before this. They had never bonded at any time. It was only the questions that were a constant between them.

'_Maybe it has something to do with Ramie and Farron._' she would constantly think. But none of her memories as 'Ramie' revealed anything solid. Ramie and Farron were close, but began to drift apart at one point in their lives. There was nothing in her mind as Ramie that told her why. _'We just drifted apart. That's about it.'_ The unified Fighter had no answer for her.

She could have just asked him. But she always assumed he would tell her eventually. Or that she would run into the answer awkwardly.

Whatever the case was, she never cared to think about it too much. Any subject that made her scratch her head for more than a minute was something she considered beyond her expertise. Stressing the mind only caused her to become outwardly frustrated. The Quinns had said that solving complicated problems and riddles had their own sense of fun – in discovery, revelation, and satisfaction. Not for the tomboy. _The only complicated problem I'd like to have in my head is my Ash._

…

_Gah! There I go again! Just 'Ash'! Darnit, May! You got me saying 'my' all the time now!_ Angie shook her head and pushed herself into a jog. _Focus, Anj. What was it that Ash asked from you again? It was… It was… Right. Find the Leannes. Got it._

Her fingers twisted a switch on a device near her ear. Pressing down on a small button, she talked into the communicator, "Anyone with their earpiece on: Group meeting. Refuge."


	3. Leadership

It was a small opening where little moonlight shone through. The canopy above was littered with branches and leaves of unnatural colors that betrayed their plastic material; obviously put there in order to control the amount of light that could enter. On the shadowed grass below, a number of chairs and stools were scattered about. A chart stand covered with maps and indiscernible coded commands decorated the center. And pressed against one of the trees, a massive luggage of unknown ownership stood sentinel, as if watching all that would occur within the small meeting area.

The area wasn't theirs. It had belonged to another group that had carefully placed the forgotten objects where they were needed most. For what purposes, none of them knew. Whatever the reason, whoever they were, they had abandoned it a long time ago. Dirt stains and thick webs still wrapped themselves around several of the items. Any item made of metal showed signs of untreated rust and disrepair. And Leanne had pointed out that one of the maps placed was severely outdated.

Outdated how, they couldn't find an answer. It was as if the map was from a time before Route 209 was given a name and number… yet the date on the corner suggested that this establishment had only occurred just a few years back. The map itself showed no roads, no bridges, no checkpoints, no guard stations, no cemetery, and no route number. Only within the past six years was Route 209 made available to the public.

But that was wrong. Route 209 had been one of Sinnoh's main roadways for decades, and the Lost Tower had stood for far longer. The map could not be outdated; it just had to be wrong. That was the conclusion that they had settled on in order to calm their nerves.

Incorrect or outdated no longer mattered now. This would be their main meeting area and safehouse within the Sinnoh region until their situation improved.

Until then, the team believed it needed to have a name. Sharing odd resemblances of a place they had all become familiar with, Angie had named the place 'The Refuge'. It fit well, as they felt that it was a place to hide, rather than a place of sanctuary.

Ten humans wandered into the Refuge, each bearing their own form of exhaustion and curiosity. An eleventh stood in the center by the map stand. Three pokémon followed their respective partners in and found their own areas to settle. A fourth was already sitting on the eleventh human's shoulder.

The thirteen that entered found themselves slightly surprised at one of two differences found within this meeting. In every meeting held previously, it was attended by specific members within their group. Other than the Quinns' absence, one person was replaced and three new ones appeared.

Sato waited for them in the center.

For unknown reasons, Ash's alternate avatar rarely made appearances by himself. The two shared the same body, and at many moments others considered them sharing the same heart and mind. Unlike the others who 'unified' with two others in order to create an avatar of a past person who they represented separately, Ash was all that was needed to 'bring out' his past self. And he rarely had to 'bring him out', as Sato and Ash tended to speak and think almost perfectly alike. It was difficult to distinguish the two apart due to these similarities. Except for the fact that without Sato's inner-presence, Ash would regain the wounds in his eyes he had received from an accident so long ago – leaving him physically blind.

It was rare to find one without the other, especially in this form: Ash was the one gone, and only Sato remained.

His taller physique and regard for each of them made him obviously different from the Pallet Town boy. However, the difference was even more exaggerated inside. Misty, May, and Anabel stared at him strangely. _He's not Ash._ is what continued to ring in their chests. The emotional connection between each girl and the boy was severed. Ash was an Empathic, Sato was not.

Sato was well aware of this alienated sense the three felt towards him. He gave a weak smile and a slight wave, as if apologizing.

He was not the main attraction, however. Three newcomers to the meeting appeared from the south: The Bianca from Unova, the Bianca from Alto Mare, and Latias approached confidently, showing no acknowledgment that their separated appearance was unusual.

The three females never attended the meetings as themselves – they had always come in the form of Leanne. Their constant excuse was that it was 'to offer their strategic mind', which they found more necessary for the group conferences. Or so she would say. Many suspected it was because the three had preferred to stay as 'Leanne' more than to become themselves.

For some in the group, it was the first time they had seen the three in days. Double-takes and held questions were made. No one knew exactly how to greet them.

Except for Sato, who grinned at their appearance.

Bianca grinned back happily. BiBi waved shyly. Latias tackled him excitedly.

The three were strange to others in the fact that their individual selves felt comfortable around 'just Sato'. To be around him was awkward and strange for the rest when they were not unified. After all, they themselves knew little about Sato outside of their past personas. He was a stranger to them. And more discomforting was the fact that he was senior to them – far more senior to many of them. They had felt like children around him.

He showed no sense of worry for the matter. Neither did Pikachu.

The yellow Mouse Pokémon stood on his shoulder as if he was no different from Ash. To him, their scents were slightly similar – which told him enough. He stood on his toes and waved happily at a cat-like creature of smooth lavender.

Espeon regarded him with a happy yap and leapt onto Anabel's shoulder to be closer to his height level. The two chatted with tonal languages that none of the humans could immediately understand. Though it was obvious that the two were happy to see each other again.

Maylene paced back and forth between two smaller trees until she saw Angie. She nonchalantly walked over and leaned against a tree near her. The tomboy regarded her with a nod.

"It's not every day you see Sato out and about." the fighter began the first verbal conversation within the group.

Angie nodded again. "Eh."

"Tell me about it. Look how scrawny he is. Bet he doesn't even fight."

The tomboy snickered. "Nah, he fights. Ramie fought him a bunch of times, remember?"

"Yeah, but look at those arms! Are there even any muscles in there?"

"He uses his Aura to fight. No need for muscles."

"That supposed to impress me?"

"No, but it certainly impresses Luc over there." Angie tilted her chin in one direction.

Maylene looked over and found her lucario sitting obediently to the side of Sato, as if the meeting was serious business for him. "Lucario's such a suck-up."

"Only for Sato, apparently."

"Eh." the fighter repeated the tomboy's unimpressed conclusion.

The two of them had shared a form of indifference for Sato. Though they had fought hard to bring out Sato's personality in order to save Ash, they had only done it for Ash's sake. When combined, Ramie cared deeply for Sato, but cared little for the younger Ash. Separately, it was the case of vice versa.

May joined them. She sat comfortably between the two. "Eh."

The Ramies giggled at their mutual feelings towards the Aura Guardian.

He regarded them with a smile. "Angie, I wanted to thank you for taking care of Pikachu while Ash went missing."

"Next time don't leave him behind. Ash wouldn't ever leave Pikachu by himself in a new place."

"I –"

"You were in control of Ash's body when Maylene here dragged him off." Angie shrugged. "Don't think I didn't catch that."

"Uhm… Sorry?" Sato scratched the back of his head and gave a confused smile. _What did I do?_ The animosity Angie held towards him was always unusual for him to notice. The tomboy seemed to be the only one within the group who recognized the extreme differences between him and Ash without having to be unified or having a secondary ability. It was an almost intuitional and natural knowledge for her. And for a reason not fully known to Sato, she disliked him for those differences. She had never given him the time of day to figure out why.

The pink-haired fighter snickered. "You've got a spine on ya', Anj. I don't think anyone's ever called Sato out for a fault."

"More people should." May voiced before she drank from a water bottle.

Angie waved off Sato's attention and turned towards Maylene. "He may have some history with Ramie, but far as I can tell, he's just some stranger to me. He's nothing like Ash."

"Definitely nothing like Ash." May agreed. "Just some outdated version."

"I dunno, I think he's really handsome." a fourth voice entered the conversation.

"Go away, Dawn. No one asked you."

"Alright, fine." She walked back to rejoin the Mayas with a skip.

"Nothing but eavesdroppers in this group." Maylene laughed shortly.

"So when's this meeting going to sta–"

"Excuse me, if I can have everyone's attention!" Sato called out. "Thank you for coming!"

"_Not like we had anything else to do._" a voice grumbled back.

Sato turned. It was Todd's.

Todd Snap, a Photographer, and one of the Farrons. He disliked Sato, and he disliked Ash. To Sato, there was little reason why Todd would have joined this group, and even less reasons for him to have saved Ash's life by awakening Sato. But he had, begrudgingly. It reminded Sato of Farron… _ambitious, difficult, but genuinely caring somewhere deep inside._

From what he gathered with Ash's memories, Todd Snap had once been a friend of his. He was a companion on a few of his journeys, and was nothing but a welcoming face for anyone who met him. However, the girl he deeply admired, Casey, had chosen Ash over him.

Casey, a baseball fanatic from New Bark Town, Johto, acted as Ash's guardian. A strong form of loyalty and attachment towards the boy from Pallet Town had grown in their journey together. This caused a heavy spite to swell inside Todd, who owed his life to this girl and believed Ash had done nothing to deserve her attention.

Whatever the case was, he continued to help Ash and the group despite these personal feuds. For that, Sato was grateful.

"As I was saying…" Sato continued after the noise died down. "Ash and I wanted to hold a meeting so that we could catch everyone up with what's going on."

"_Where is Ash?_" another voice called out. He ignored it.

"As you know, the Quinns have split off from us in order to initiate their own mission…"

…

The Aura Guardian looked around, slightly bewildered. He expected a hundred questions to come up. Yet it seemed that no one was surprised with Quinn's actions. _This is definitely going to cut the meeting short…_ he thought with slight disappointment. "They'll come into contact with us after they've completed it."

…

Again, no questions.

"Until they do, I suggest we stick close to the Refuge. Solaceon Town is barred from us except for the individuals…" He removed a list from his pocket and began to read it, "Gary, Tracey, Todd, Misty, Anabel, Dawn, Ramie, and the two Biancas." Glancing up, he folded the list and regarded everyone with his eyes. "I'm sure I don't have to tell you this, but we caused quite a commotion back there. In order to prevent the Raptures from –"

"**Rockets!**" three people corrected him simultaneously.

"Sorry, Rockets." Sato laughed at himself in embarrassment. "So, in order to prevent the _Rockets_ from spotting us again, or to prevent any witnesses from pointing us out, we're only having those that haven't been seen within the town to enter it."

"Just so we're clear," the Bianca of Alto Mare added, "This means that none of the mentioned individuals are to unify, and that Team Ramie isn't allowed to separate for any reason as long as they're within viewing distance of Solaceon."

"Yes, thank you for that reminder, Bianca." He smiled. She smiled back.

"And everyone please keep your headsets on if you head into town!" Misty shouted. "Are you listening, Team Ramie?"

"Yeah, yeah, I got it." Angie growled. She knew exactly who Misty was referring to.

"We still doing that fifteen-minute interval thing?" Maylene asked with her hand raised.

Everyone turned towards the Leannes.

The brown-haired one nodded. "Yes. Anyone who plans on going to Solaceon has to sync their watches with me. Fifteen-minute radio silences. No contacting within those intervals unless it's a real emergency."

"What if we want to head into Hearthome?" Dawn had her hand raised this time. "Do we sync and do the intervals? And can only certain people head in there?"

Sato gave a questioning glance towards Maylene.

"Hm?" She returned his glance.

"What do you think? Is it safe there?"

"Oh. Hm…" Maylene thought back to her scouting mission just a few days ago. The group had avoided the city of Hearthome due to their uncertainties of the area. It had been up to her to survey it from a distance. "From what I can tell, activity is pretty low there. Practically dead if not is. And it looked like the Stadiums were no longer there, so I don't suggest anyone bring their pokémon just in case that's a sign of any banning rules."

"That's one more thing to discuss," Sato raised his volume to get everyone's attention, "No one is to bring their pokémon out of Route 209. Not until we get any word from Quinn. We've already gotten a few stares in Solaceon for having them out in the beginning, so I'm guessing we don't know about any rules the Rocket Empire has placed on the carrying or caring of Pokémon. We'll hopefully learn more once Quinn returns."

The group nodded in acknowledgement. The pokémon of the team seemed slightly disappointed at the news.

"Next up on the agenda. Regarding Tracey's stolen sketchpa–"

Sato froze. All of them froze.

Their breaths were slowed and their muscles tensed. Only Dawn's breathing seemed to show panic.

To each of their throats, a blade was pressed against – except for Sato, who stood safely in the center. With everyone else held hostage, however, he prevented himself from moving.

Pikachu growled as sparks flew from its cheeks.

"Call your pokémon back into their poké balls." an unfamiliar voice hissed loudly, "Now."

Lucario and Espeon were carefully returned into their containers by Maylene and Anabel.

"Hey hey, the other two!"

"They don't have poké balls." Sato answered.

"Well that's too bad…"

**CHNK**

A large metal collar snapped around Latias' neck and loosened a wave of electricity.

The Eon Pokémon screamed in pain.

"**LATIAS!**" the Leannes and Sato roared in concern and anger. Pikachu blasted a spear of lightning towards one of the shadows that hid just out of the moon's light. It dodged and rolled behind a tree.

"Boss! We've got a problem!" it shouted.

A large gloved hand reached out of the darkness and grabbed the Mouse Pokémon before it could launch another attack.

"Pikaa!" Pikachu was dragged off Sato's shoulder.

"Pikachu!" Sato turned, only to find three knives pressed against his throat. _Whoever they are, they're good. _His eyes narrowed. _Pikachu could've taken them out if they approached me first._

He looked up and watched as Pikachu constantly tried to shock the hand off him. On second glance, Sato realized that the hand was mechanical – and was absorbing all of Pikachu's attacks to charge a machine on the side. A glass container shut, trapping the Electric Type in a bubble its electricity couldn't harm.

Sato's eyes moved towards Anabel, giving her silent questions.

The Frontier Brain shook her head slightly to give him his answer: She had no idea how she couldn't sense them coming. Her left eye blinked twice: They weren't Hunters. It blinked a third time: And they weren't Rockets.

"Boss." The person holding the knife against Anabel's neck pulled at her hair and forced her to face away from Sato. "The girl was speaking some kind of code to the guy in the center."

"It doesn't matter." A shadow moved towards the moonlight, its silhouette showing feminine curves and a strange headpiece that seemed to hang at an impossible angle. The voice was a strong female's. "Remove their earpieces and search their pockets and bags. I don't want any surprises."

Another shadow moved forward, lacking curves or a ridiculous hat. The voice was questionably male. "Gather the recon cameras throughout sections I and Z. And don't forget: they mentioned something about another group that had left. Keep an eye out for them."

"Wid' how sneaky deez guys have been, you'da thunk they'd saw us comin' from a mile away!" A third figure, unreasonably shorter than the other two, wandered in and stood between them.

They were just out of the canopy's faint light, but most of the group, now held prisoners, found them strangely familiar.

"Remove the shades." the woman said.

With a flutter of sounds, the branches and leaves above fell apart, allowing in the strong moonlight.

Gasps could be heard from every member as the identities of the three were revealed.

"Looks like they recognize us." the male observed in amusement.

"Not surprising. They were looking for us." The woman walked forward and opened her arms. "We heard you wanted to get in with contact the Resistance! Well, here we are!"

"Sinno' Rezistunce, Branch Har'tome!" the smaller one pronounced terribly, "At yer soy'vus!"

With a snap of the fingers, the group was forced onto their feet and slowly pulled away from Refuge. They remained quiet, most of them out of continuing shock and fear. This was not how any of them imagined their day would end. This unknown occurrence was destructive towards the little plans they had left. But they could do nothing to stop it.

Their eyes stared in disbelief at the three that had caused all this. They returned the stares with knowing smiles. The trio straightened their posture and stiffly posed their arms behind their back, a posture that signified that they were 'just doing business'. The group continued their stares despite it. Though their uniforms and efficiency didn't match previous descriptions, there was no mistaking who the three were.

Standing proudly under the moonlight, Jessie, James, and Meowth watched in silence as their captives were dragged into the shadows.

* * *

"You're quite a stubborn bunch aren't you?"

Tracey slammed into the corner of the cell. He let out a cough and curled up.

Jessie patted her hands clean and locked the triple-circuit gate. A buzzing hum grew in volume, joining in with the other sounds emanating from each of the prison cells. The Sketch-Artist's bars shined blue. He inched away from them in fear. _'One touch, and you're cooked.'_ him and the rest of the group were constantly reminded.

"I don't think we've ever had so many people stay quiet during our interviews before." Jessie paced down the walkway and glared at each new prisoner. "It's not helping your case at all, you know. Just talk and we'll find some form of agreement. It is, after all, why you were looking for us, wasn't it?"

"Not like this." Sato glared at the magenta-haired captor as she stopped in front of his cell. "Let us free and we'll discuss this in a civilized manner. There's no need to torture us."

"Torture? Why, we do no such thing!" She looked as if she were insulted. "We merely 'interview'."

"That's not what it looks like from here. Do you 'interview' all your guests with whips?"

Jessie's eyes flared. She slapped the nearest guard across the face. "Did I not say that all prisoners are prohibited from speaking with one another?!" she roared in irritation.

"B-But, Boss!" The guard was visibly shaken. "They haven't talked once! Not a peep until you talked to them!"

"You fool!" She smacked him again. "They could be speaking through codes! Sounds, taps, signs, body movements! Anything!"

"I-I know ma'am! We've kept a close eye on all of 'em!"

"Then how do they know anything about a whip?!'

"L-Lucky guess?"

The furious woman jabbed the guard in the stomach and kicked his knees. Before he could topple over, she grabbed him by the collar and swung him into one of the cell bars. A **hiss** and a **pop** were heard, followed by a terrible smell of cooked flesh. The man screamed as he rolled onto the floor. His hands frantically patted and swatted at his face and blackened combat fatigues.

Everyone flinched, prisoner and guard alike. Some began to whimper.

Jessie smiled and swung her hair back. "Let that be a lesson to all of you. Try to fool me, and you end up like poor Gerald here. Do as I say, and you get to keep your pretty faces."

She walked towards the exit. "Bring the next 'guest'! We'll keep at this until one of them decides to be friendly!" Her head turned slightly. "If not, they can consider this place their new home."

The prison door swung shut with a loud **clang**.

…

Only the hum of the heated cell bars and Gerald's pathetic sobs echoed within the metal basement. The other guards glared at the prisoners with intense eyes. In their minds they knew for a fact that they were not mistaken: None of the captives said a word or even flinched – nothing had ever come out of them for the past two hours. Not a peep. Not a sound. Not a blink. It was a lucky guess. But none of them wanted to challenge the Boss. No one wanted to end up like Gerald.

"Up! You're next!" A soldier unlocked one of the gates and dragged Misty to her feet. She followed quietly and submissively. Inwardly was a different case altogether.

_Remember, Anabel said not to tell them a thing._

_I know._

_May is saying that you can do this. And to cuss them out for her._

_Of course she said that. Tell her 'thanks' for me._

_And, Misty?_

_Yeah?_

_Don't push them too far._

_Don't think I can handle it?_

_Just want you to come back in one piece._

She smiled. _You and Anabel take care of the rest. I'll buy you two enough time._

The prison door swung open and closed with barely a creak, the guard obviously not wanting to make as much noise as his superior.

…

…

_Ready?_

_Whenever you are._

_Now._

…

The guard blinked. He rubbed his eyes just to be sure. This time he definitely could have sworn that the man in the cell had gotten a tad shorter. Though that couldn't be right. No one just fluctuates in size… _right?_ He wondered if this was how they were speaking to one another. _By… getting shorter and taller? That'd definitely be something new._

Before he could unlock the gate, his body suddenly went numb. He stared at his hand in curiosity. He flexed it open and closed. And still, no feeling. Even worse, he felt nothing inside. No confusion. No anger, happiness, sorrow, nothing. Absolutely _nothing_.

_Does it have something to do with the man in here?_ His breath quickened as he tried to force himself to even feel panic or urgency. He pressed the unlock codes into the gate as fast as he could. **CLK.** The gate opened, but he paused.

Something else was wrong.

_Gerald isn't crying anymore. _

And the situation became worse.

His thoughts were beginning to blur. _G-Gerald? Who is… Gerald? _

Slowly but surely, everything began to 'disconnect'. He could not feel it, but something inside begged him to believe it. He had to tell the others. Warn the others. _Who? … No, I have to…_ His body was forced to turn. Even if he could no longer 'connect' things together, his instincts refused to give in. With a tension, he willed himself to open his mouth.

Then everything went blank.

Thirteen guards fell to the floor. A fourteenth, Gerald, simply stopped moving. Not a shout or groan was made.

Ash pressed his hand against the wall as he pushed himself towards the gate. Finding the lock still open, he quickly charged out of his unit and began working his way to each prison cell. His fingers hastily repeated the code sequence in his head on each lock. Misty had memorized the numbered sequence by watching the guards unlock each gate in order to remove one of them for an 'interview'. With it committed to memory, she passed it along through Ash's empathy.

**CLK.** Another gate unbolted without a fuss.

"Wh-What the heck just happened?!" Angie stood and approached her open cell door. She kicked one of the guards on the floor. "A-Are they –?"

"Fainted." Ash replied simply as he handled the other code locks.

"Did you do this?!"

"No. Group effort."

"Group effort? What? Did Quinn find her way in here or something?" She stared at the ugly wound on guard Gerald's face and grimaced.

"BiBi's plan, coded with Maylene before being locked up, Misty memorized the unlock keys, and Anabel, Maylene, and I took them out."

"Since when could you three do this? Why didn't you tell me?!"

"Didn't have time. And don't tell Sabrina."

"Sabrina?" Angie planted her face into her palms. "Don't tell me this was another…"

"I said don't tell her."

The tomboy sighed and nonchalantly walked down the walkway. She watched Ash run back and forth between cells, punching in codes and responding to everyone's questions with lightning-fast answers. "Calm down, Ash. You're going to get a heart-attack."

"Just one more code, and…_ there!_" Tracey's gate opened. The Sketch-Artist stepped out and was about to give Ash a hug. He halted from the action when he noticed the Pokémon Trainer wavering in consciousness. "May's in charge now." was his last command.

Tracey blinked. "May?"

The freed group flinched as they watched Anabel, Maylene, and Ash faint within seconds.

…

"Alright, enough with the gawking you guys." May walked out of her cell with an eager look in her eyes. "Tracey, take care of Dawn. Gary, take care of Bianca. Todd, pile the guards to the side and search their pockets. Angie, get that trolley around the corner and bring Anne, Lene, and Ash. BiBi, you're with me."

Angie raised her brow in confusion. She has no idea what just happened. _Darn Empathics always talking behind my back – I never know what's going on in their heads. …At least May's in charge. Could be worse._ The tomboy smiled as she watched the brown-haired Coordinator take command of the group. She couldn't help but feel proud.

The Princess of Hoenn used to fit her title perfectly: She was a princess. Her mannerisms were regularly unconfident and shy. She was never sure of herself, and would often cry at the slightest provocation. Yet her time spent with Team Ramie had begun to change her. For better or for worse was still up for argument, but Angie only saw positive results. _The girl finally grew a spine._

Rushing down the corridor to follow the command she was given, she passed by Dawn's and the Unova Bianca's prison cells. The two were in shambles. Absolutely frightened and terrified of what had just happened in the past few minutes. Their faces were pink and drenched with tears. Pitiable mewls escaped their throats as they refused to budge from their spots.

_To think_, Angie thought to herself, _if May ended up as a 'Maya', she would've been just like these girls._

She sighed and leaned into Bianca's cell. "Hey, green-eyes! Come on! We gotta' go save Latias!"

Bianca whimpered louder, but the mention of her other counterpart pushed her to her feet.

"There we go. Come on. Follow Gary." The tomboy smiled.

"Thanks, Anj." Gary nodded towards her.

"Yeah… Sure." she answered awkwardly.

"**HEY! ANGIE! I GAVE YOU A JOB!**"

Angie flinched at May's shout and hurried back down the walkway.

_Maybe she has too much of a spine…_

* * *

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN THEY ESCAPED?!"

"M-Ma'am, I –"

Jessie swung the whip around and **crack**ed it against the soldier's chest. He let out a gasp and dropped to his knees. The whip's handle pressed against his chin. "Tell me which team you belong to." she growled.

"_Sci_… Sci… Scion, Boss." the man did his best to breathe out. His lungs felt like they had collapsed, though he knew that sadly wasn't the case. He would live to see another day under her command. "Frequency two-two-four. A-side."

The fierce blue eyes of the woman narrowed. She turned away, much to his relief.

"Scion." She tuned her radio to the given frequencies. "Scion. Magenta B. I need a name and a status update! Don't even think of lying to me; I'm in a bad mood!"

"_Boss! Non-Com Shade here. Uh… Captives have escaped –"_

"I already know that you fool! Tell me where they are!"

"_They just began storming through Corridor B, wi–"_

"HOW ARE THEY ALREADY IN CORRIDOR B?!"

"_They blasted through Room C-5's wall with an electrode."_

"THEY HAVE POKÉMON?!"

"_Y-Yes, Boss. They broke into Room C-2 and –"_

"YOU'RE ALL INCOMPETENT!" Jessie roared and threw the radio into the far-end of the wall. Its pieces shattered on contact, sprinkling the floor with a whining buzz of electricity. The hiss of radio static continued to blurt through its speakers sporadically.

She stood quietly, her hands pressed hard against the table… before her temper got the better of her again. With a quick turn, she whipped the broken radio repeatedly until it completely fell silent.

Jessie moved towards her 'guest'. A furious sneer decorated her face. "Who do you work for? Are you Empire Agents?" she growled.

"We just wanted to talk." Misty responded with a suppressed smile. "If you didn't want this to happen, you shouldn't have provoked us."

"Then what do you bloody want to talk about?!"

"I'm sorry; I can't seem to understand you. You've got this… ugly face about you that really makes it hard to hear anything other than your mom crying. Because you're so ugly, that is."

Jessie's eyes twitched. She raised her whip.

Then she stopped.

A smile began to crease across her lips. Lowering her whip, she began to clap. "I see what you're trying to do. Keep us angry, keep us confused, keep us at each other's throats. Then in our blindness, your cool heads get the victory. Impressive." She leaned forward and pressed her weapon's handle against the Gym Leader's cheek. "But that. Won't. Work. On. Me." each syllable was followed with a harder press of the whip.

"Whatever helps you sleep at night." Misty returned the smile. "But no amount of beauty sleep will save that face of yours. You might want to try surgery."

Jessie did her best to ignore her. She turned towards the downed soldier. He was still on the floor, grasping his chest. "You."

He looked up, shaking.

"Your headset. Now."

He gave it up quickly, too frightened to fail her again.

Jessie put it on and opened a hidden wall console. Her hands worked with unmarked toggles and buttons. When the device hummed into life, she plugged in the headset's wire. "Attention everyone! This is Magenta B! Threat Level Black! I repeat, Threat Level Black! Initiate PF Defense! PF Defense!"

She unhooked the wire and adjusted its frequency. "Lavender B. Lavender B, come in."

"_Th-This is Lavender B. Nice to hear your voice, Magenta."_

"Is something wrong, Lavender? Give me your location."

"_N-Nothing's wrong. Currently in Corridor G."_

"Did you hear my intercom command?"

"_Threat Level Black, yes, I heard. PF Defense. Is this all necessary? Maybe we can talk it over with –"_

"…Lavender? What's your status?"

"…_All green. S-Sorry. Just have a bit of the jitters. Yes, that's it."_

"Good. While you're in G, pick up Cream B."

"_Will do."_

"Calm down, Lavender. And don't forget which room PF Defense occurs in."

"_Never will forget, Magenta."_

"Magenta B, out." She switched the device off and threw it back to the curled-up man on the floor. "Keep an eye on our 'guest'."

"Ma'am?"

"I said KEEP AN EYE ON OUR 'GUEST'!" she roared. The man flinched in response and marched into a guard position. He stiffened and saluted.

Jessie grabbed a leather trench coat from the table. "Your friends are going to be in a lot of trouble, you know that?" she regarded the orange-haired captive.

"Trouble like when the doctor couldn't figure out if you were a pokémon or a sad excuse of an ogre?" Misty laughed.

The magenta-haired woman did her best to ignore her again, difficult as it was. She turned towards the soundproof door and adjusted the coat's collar against her neck. "We'll see who's laughing by the end of all this."

Jessie exited the room, disregarding the last insults as she slammed the door behind her.

* * *

"_Liberty, in place."_

"_Thug team, in position."_

"_Scion. Here."_

"_Squad Courage, in position."_

"_Doctrine. Guns are hot."_

"_Peer. Here."_

"_Team Noble. Here."_

"_Fission… Fission still en route!"_

"Fission, this is Magenta B. Change course to Corridor D. Defense."

"_Y-Yes, ma'am!"_

Jessie shook her head. _I don't know why I bother with Fission Squad._ She removed her headset and stared out into the open space.

Room D-5. Also known as "Room R". Very few of the soldiers that wandered the underground base knew why it was called by that name. The base only designated paths and segments with letters leading up to 'F'. And no history could be found of someone or something starting with the letter 'R' that was connected to the base. Most had just assumed the 'R' stood for 'Resistance'.

Whatever the case was, "Room R" was the heart of their base. Their base had several important sections that were given their own nicknames and organ-comparisons, but "Room R" was special: It was empty. Other than column-held walkways, staircases, and a few forgotten boxes set off to the side, Room D-5 had nothing inside it. What it did have, was familiarity.

Within "Room R", every event that meant something to the soldiers was held. From recruitment rallies, to initiation tests, to conferences, to special training sessions, to even birthday celebrations. It was also rumored that it was the first underground room built by the Sinnoh Resistance, despite there being no evidence to prove it. The fact of the matter was that it held a special place in everyone's hearts – as such, everyone naturally considered it the heart of the Hearthome Resistance Base.

This wasn't all that it was known for, however. From the material of the floors, to the walkway positions, to the shape of the room, to even the temperature in the air: everything about "Room R" gave it a unique strategic advantage compared to the other rooms. It was here that the Bosses of the Hearthome Branch Resistance created the "PF Defense" – their ultimate stratagem. Many would-be infiltrators and enemy forces have faltered here. Many swift victories and memorable trophies were earned here. No one has successfully opposed the HBR. And it was all thanks to the "PF Defense" and "Room R".

_I tried to play nice. I tried to be civil. But you pushed me too far. _Jessie smirked. _Now it's the end for you and your little team._

She tapped on the railing in anxiety. _What's taking Lavender so long?_

"Ey Maj! Where's Lavvy?" a strange accented voice called out from behind her.

Meowth walked to her side and looked around "Room R", searching.

Jessie's brow raised. "He's not with you? I told him to get you."

"He knock'd on mah door," The Scratch Cat Pokémon shrugged. "But he sed' he had ta' use the restroom an' left 'fore I got out. I soita' stalled on mah way here. Tought' he'd be 'ere by da' time I got 'ere."

"No matter, Cream. He'll catch up just in time to see the little mice fall into our trap."

Static chirruped on Jessie's headset. She immediately wrapped it around her ears. "Magenta B. Repeat status."

"_This is Future Team! Inquisition Squad and our team are pushing the captives towards Room R! I repeat: They are headed your way!"_

"Acknowledged. Benefits for both you and Inquisition once we're done with this."

"_Thank you, Boss! Always a pleasure!"_

"LISTEN UP!" Jessie threw her headset off and shouted into the open air. Every individual within the massive room turned her way. "THE LITTLE MICE ARE HEADING THIS WAY! MAKE THEM FEEL RIGHT AT HOME!"

A roar of cheers came up as the squads and teams within "Room R" nested themselves into position. And as the last echoes of voices and movements died down, everything came to a standstill. Not a single body moved. Not a single noise was made. It felt as if the room itself was holding its breath in anticipation.

Jessie and Meowth stood ready at the main walking platform, looking down at the empty floor below. They were perfectly centered with the room's notch to Corridor E. Whoever would charge through that entrance would find the two immediately above them. _The perfect position for a delicious speech._

Footsteps. Picking up in pace.

The two waited with unnerving impatience. _Here they come…_

Twelve individuals ran into the open room: Eight humans and four pokémon. Another three humans remained unconscious on a pushed trolley, barely balancing as it shook and bumped violently against the floor. They all slowed when they realized that the mobs behind them were no longer chasing. And they all halted when they noticed the two individuals staring at them from above.

One of their lips began to move; the brown-haired female with the rude mouth, Jessie recognized.

Before May could utter a word, a loud **CLU-KUNK** cut her off.

She looked around in confusion. Her eyes eventually found one of the causes of the sound: Jessie was holding up a device with a button – her thumb had already activated it with a firm press.

The ground shook with the intensity of an earthquake. Bianca began to cry in fear. Dawn latched onto May's arm. Gary pulled Angie in close and wrapped her in his arms protectively. Tracey and Todd did their best to run away from the center of the room. While BiBi remained still, almost showing her own form of impatience.

With a **CRAK**, the floor caved in. All eight humans, their four pokémon, and their three fainted persons fell into the widening hole. Every conscious member of the group let out a shout and scream of panic. They plunged into a concrete level below, dropping and scattering their belongings as they lost their sense of orientation and impacted the ground.

Bianca's cries turned into ached whimpers; she was holding her forehead in pain. Dawn remained immobile, while a muffled groan could be heard from her buried face. Gary was helping Angie to her feet, though the tomboy seemed to refuse the offer. Tracey crawled over to Pikachu, checking to see if he was alright. Todd was attempting to breathe; the wind knocked out of him from landing on his back. BiBi was staring up at Latias, who hovered down towards them unharmed. May stumbled into a stand and shot her attention upwards.

"REALLY?! A PITFALL?! CAN'T YOU GUYS AT LEAST TRY SOMETHING NEW?!"

"_I told you_… 'PF' stood _for_… 'Pitfall'!" Todd called towards Tracey with painful gasps. "You owe… me lunch."

"For the last time, Todd, I didn't bet anything!"

"How deep do you think this is? Fifteen? Twenty feet? Whoever made this pit was pretty lazy." Angie shrugged as she surveyed the area.

"Useful tip: Don't ever use your purse as a cushion if there's nothing but hard objects in there…" Dawn laughed at herself pathetically.

The group trapped inside the pit continued with their almost careless conversations and whines.

Jessie's eye twitched.

"Dey don't seem ta' upset or soi'prized down der'…" Meowth stared at them in confusion.

"ENOUGH!" Jessie roared. She snapped her fingers. On command, the stationed soldiers rolled out of cover and aimed their laser-targeters at the trapped individuals. **Clik**s and **Clak**s of guns chimed. The room became deafly silent in response.

The domineering female smiled. "Much better."

Grasping at the cold metal, she leaned over the railing and gave a haughty laugh. "What now, my little mice? Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide, and no more chances to make nice with me.

"You know," She began to pace back and forth, her arms behind her back as if inspecting a group of disobedient employees. "I gave you a chance. I gave you all a chance to simply talk with me. Get to know me. Become friends. But no, you wanted to do things the hard way." She stopped in her tracks and turned towards them fully. "Funny thing about the hard way? It doesn't make me any more negotiable. All it did was make me want all of you dead. I'll get my answers now, and you won't get the chance of leaving this place alive. Did you really want that? Either way, it doesn't matter what you want. What matters is what _I_ want.

"I am Magenta. People call me Boss. They call me Boss because _I get_ what _I want_. In return, I give people what _they_ want. I ask for obedience, resources, and information. And the people get their freedom and protection. In a sense, I _am_ the voice of this Resistance. And since we are the central Resistance of the Sinnoh region, you can be assured that people see _me_ as the voice of Sinnoh!" She paused and shrugged in an apologetic manner. "Yes, I am a bit harsh. Yes, I am a bit cruel. But the Hearthome Branch Resistance didn't last this long from me being nice! I am harsh and cruel because the world out there is harsh and cruel! I am merely fighting mountains with boulders! Crushing those who dare underestimate the will of the people!"

She pulled the whip away from its holster and **crack**ed it against the walkway. A sharp hum echoed in the atmosphere, giving her voice more power. "It didn't need to end like this. You could have just given me what I wanted, and I would have given you what you wanted. Instead, you wanted to make me listen _to you_, give up my authority _for you_, make me waste resources and attention because _of you_! You wanted to take advantage of me! To take advantage of the Resistance! To take advantage of _the Sinnoh region_!"

The soldiers around the group growled and spat insults in their direction.

"And now you're in my little trap. The–"

Jessie's monologue was interrupted by a silent yawn. BiBi was stretching her back.

"Am I boring you?"

Every soldier's gun immediately aimed at the Alto Mare native's head. Her eyes blinked and winced as red dots and green marks hovered around her face. "Mm?"

"I said…" Jessie leaned off the railing. She had an irritated smile. "Am. I. Boring. You?"

The auburn-haired shook her head. "Oh, no. I'm just waiting for someone."

A loud grumble could be heard from outside the room. The walls and floor began to vibrate. Creaks of metal and murmurs of crumbling concrete lazily seeped through the ceiling.

"Speaking of which…"

An explosion blasted through the roof of "Room R". Rubble and wet slag collapsed downwards from a massive hole, littering and slopping the floor below. Soldiers underneath the destruction began to crawl and sprint out of its way. As the debris crashed against any obstacle in its path, a wave of smoke created from impacted dirt spread throughout the immediate area.

"What's– What's going on?!" Jessie coughed as she tried covering her nose and mouth.

All around her, soldiers began to break away from their positions. Some attempted to find a clear spot, spitting and hacking dust from their throats. Others were moving their lighted reticles in random directions, searching for a target. And many more were panicking from fear, afraid that a massive assault had just reached their once-hidden base.

Jessie sought to rally the forces back into a solid formation, but something in the smoke caught her attention. A pair of silhouettes.

"_Prepare for Liberation_!" a strong female voice shouted through the fumes.

"_And with some Imitation_." a gentler male's voice added in.

The voices came from the shadows hidden inside the dust cloud.

"To protect the world from powerful foes!"

"To rescue our friends from troublesome woes!"

"To wipe away the fog of illusion!"

"To liberate those within seclusion!"

The smoke began to fade away, revealing the dynamic pair that stood back-to-back.

"Solana…"

"…Ritchie."

"Ranger Duo here to steal the spotlight!"

"Give up now or you're in for a fight!"

"PLAAA!" a yellow pokémon with red markings hopped onto the woman's shoulder.

…

…

Bianca began clapping.

Everyone else stared in confused disbelief.

"What… in the world was that?" Jessie hunched over, embarrassed for them.

Solana and Ritchie fell out of their pose in shame.

"That was awful…" the Pokémon Ranger from the Fiore region laughed halfheartedly.

"_It sounded a lot better during practice…_" the Pokémon Trainer from Frodomar City sighed.

"I thought it was pretty catchy." James grinned.

"Lavender?!" Jessie's eyes widened. "What are you doing over there?!"

The lavender-haired man scratched his chin and smiled weakly. "I think I was captured."

"Wh-What?!"

"Now that we've got your attention," BiBi spoke out, catching everyone's interest, "I suggest you let us talk to you in a civilized manner. No prisons. No tortures. No whips."

"Or else what?!" Jessie growled.

"WH-WHOA-WHOAH!" James was kicked off the platform and fell into the pit. He landed with a **crunch**. "_Ow_…"

Angie ran towards him and pinned him against the wall, making sure that she pressed hard against his neck. The captured male made an audible choking sound.

"Or else your friend James meets the same fate as us." BiBi smirked.

James' eyes widened. He tried to speak, but only gurgled out spittle. Jessie spoke for him, "How… How do you know his name?!" She glared at the soldiers around her angrily. "WHO SPOKE?!"

Each of the Resistance members denied responsibility in their own way. Some frantically, some with outrage, and others with deep suspicion against their own members.

No one used their names in the Resistance. Only code names were used. At all times. And no one went against that rule – for the safety of their identities, for the safety of their families, for the safety of the Resistance, and most importantly: for their own safety. The penalty for speaking any member's real name to outsiders was worse than anything the Rocket Empire could threaten with. And it was not a subject up for argument: If the individual was not punished by the Resistance Branch they were under, all other Resistance groups were held responsible on carrying out the punishment.

With that in mind, no one dared to even think of breaking that rule. That law.

"TELL ME WHO GAVE AWAY HIS NAME!" Jessie roared again.

"No one," BiBi answered, "Jessie."

Every soldier who heard the name gasped. Those who did not, begged and asked the ones who did what had happened. The room began to fill with nervous whispers and quieted gossip.

"H-How…" Jessie moved away from the railing. She wanted to run. To disappear. Whatever it took to get away from the consequences of outsiders knowing her identity. But she forced herself to stay. And she forced herself to grip the railing. "EXECUTE THEM! EXECUTE THEM NOW!"

Spears of red and green light swung down towards the pit. Every soldier had targeted a prey with a kill-mark. If two of their Bosses' identities were known, then they feared that the strangers knew everyone's names.

"I don't think so!" the strong female's voice, Solana's, called out. Everyone's attention returned to her… and her new companions.

Five pokémon were released during the soldier's panic. Each one stood powerfully in place. Many more began flooding into the area through the hole in the ceiling: Flying and Bug Type Pokémon swarmed in – even a handful of Ghost Types shifted into the open area.

Soldiers swung their guns around, trying to find a solid target. But there were too many of them. Too many pokémon, and far more were increasing their ranks.

The Alto Mare native cleared her throat. Jessie was the only one that turned towards her. "The way I see it," BiBi began, "You just lost your advantage. I doubt you can take us all out." Her arms swung wide, revealing several additional pokémon that were released from their poké balls. With each distraction, a new pokémon seemed to appear. "So I suggest you put those guns down and let us talk."

Angie threw James to the floor and pressed her foot against his neck – just enough so he could talk clearly. "M-Magenta! It isn't worth it! Just do what they say!" he yelped. Just as Angie wanted.

_These… These monsters!_ Jessie's eyes were beginning to tear up. Everything she had ever worked for was beginning to crumble. Her reputation, her secrets, her strategies, and her authority… all of them shattering and becoming chaff in the wind. _Who are these people?! Where did they get so many pokémon?! What do I do? I can't just –_

"Please, Jess…" James mewled. His pained eyes looked up at her in despair.

…

…

"Drop your arms…" Jessie sighed. "Safeties on and weapons on the floor, people! NOW! …And someone get them a rope ladder!"


	4. Agreements

The Resistance members kept their distance. They walked in wide arcs, avoiding any path that came in direct contact with them. They refused to take stairs and walking platforms until they had crossed them completely. They avoided entering open restrooms as long it was occupied by one of them. They kept their distance, yet they never let them out of their sight.

Anabel, Angie, Dawn, May, Maylene, Ritchie, Solana, Todd, Tracey, and the two Biancas wandered about the large space of Corridor F – each finding their own distractions and interests. They mostly ignored the stares and glares they were given by the Resistance members. Only the blond-haired Bianca attempted to talk with them… Most attempts failed.

Though the soldiers and guards followed the group around with intense curiosity, they remained wary of any form of social interaction with them. And it wasn't the human individuals that the Resistance members were attracted to… It was their pokémon.

The group had learned that Sinnoh people were not used to seeing pokémon out in public. Pokémon were banned from personal use. They had always been banned, even before the Rocket Empire 'protectorate' had occupied the region. Capturing and combating them were also prohibited to the general populace. All handlings of pokémon were to be conducted by registered experts and military personnel. Outside of that, Wild Pokémon were considered menaces to civilization and society. Each settlement without a nearby military base was given an expert to capture and, if need be, eradicate any and all Wild Pokémon that roamed too close.

With that in mind, it was no surprise to the group why they had always been given strange looks and special treatment whenever they entered a city or town: People had assumed they were registered experts. After all, even obtaining a poké ball was considered impossible without having official connections with the Rocket Empire.

"So why do you have Pokémon Centers in your towns if no one carries pokémon?" Bianca asked the only man who was willing to speak with her. She seemed harmless enough, from what the man could tell.

"Oh, no, that's not for our towns." he answered, "That's for emergency use only. Military procedures have it so that if any of their forces are called out to areas away from their base, that the nearest Center be reactivated for their use."

Bianca nodded. "Ohhh, that makes sense! I guess that's why the one in Solaceon Town was empty."

"They're empty everywhere else, too. They're not even powered until the military gives them the green light."

"Oh okay!" The blonde smiled. "Thank you for answering my questions, uhm…"

"Silt. Non-Com Silt, Noble Team." He saluted.

"…Non-Com?"

"Non-Commissioned Officer. Basically all the flash and bang of commanding a small company, without the bulk of the paperwork." he laughed. Bianca gave a slight laugh back, not knowing where the joke was. "You can call me Ortega. No need to be so formal."

"I'm Bianca. Pleased to meet you!" She held out her hand with a smile.

He shook it and returned the smile with a warm friendliness. "A pleasure. It's nice to know your group isn't beyond pleasantries. For a good while, I had thought you guys were a bunch of troublemakers. Even thought you were running a takeover operation on us."

"I don't think we make trouble as much as trouble seems to follow us around." Bianca considered.

Ortega laughed; his shoulders noticeably relaxing. "I know how that goes. Never any rest for us in the Resistance." His gaze moved to the right. "Say… You wouldn't mind answering a few of my questions, would you? A bit of information-trading. Just to make this friendship official."

"O-Oh, okay! What would you like to know?"

"What's the name of that creature there?" Ortega pointed towards a rotund pokémon of orange, black, and yellow colorations.

"Oh! You mean Pignite!" Bianca turned and regarded her pokémon. "Pignite! Over here! I want you to meet a friend!"

The Fire Pig Pokémon happily bounded towards the two. "Nite!" Smoke puffed from its snout as it leapt to a stop in front of the blonde.

Ortega backed away, feeling uneasy around the pig-like Pokémon.

Bianca gave a reassuring grin. "Don't worry. He's harmless." She turned towards Pignite and scratched its chin. "Aren't you! Yeah, who's a sweetheart!"

The non-com carefully approached it and patted its head. He found himself surprised at how much pokémon resembled domesticated animals, not just in some physical aspects, but in reaction towards human care as well. "So what can you tell me about this guy?"

"What would you like to know?"

Ortega pulled out a pen and notepad. "Anything, really."

"Well, as you already know," Bianca happily began to explain. She loved explaining facts about Pokémon, rare as it was. Gary was often the go-to expert for Pokémon within the group. This was her chance to be useful. "His name is Pignite. A Fire and Fighting Type Pokémon. These guys can be found in small communities within forests, deserts, and drylands. They're mostly male, so females are highly prized and protected within their families. Pignites are evolutions of Tepig, which are smaller and walk on all-fours, as opposed to how Pignites mostly walk on two feet. Tepigs are also only Fire Types, not gaining any Fighting potential until they become bi-pedal in their Pignite form. Before they get that advantage, they're defended by the rest of their family – so you won't often see them alone in the wild. The next evolutionary step is the Emboar, which are far more massive in bulk and strength. Emboars are known also for their fire beards; beards made of fire, in case that didn't make any sense. The larger the fire beard, the stronger they are – and the higher they are in their community ranks. It's said that the strongest ones can only be found in the desert, due to their giant flame beards extinguishing most moisture within the air. It's also important to note that though Tepig and Pignite are considered the "Fire Pig Pokémon", Emboars are given the species title "Mega Fire Pig Pokémon" due to their rarity in the wild. Now, if you actually look at Pignite's markings here–"

"Whoa whoa whoa, slow down!" Ortega laughed as he flipped to another new page on his notepad. "You're like an encyclopedia! I can barely keep up."

Bianca blushed. "Sorry. I just get excited whenever someone wants to know about Pokémon."

"Are you a specialist on them?"

"Well… no, not really. Well… kind of? It's complicated."

Flipping back a few pages, Ortega studied his notes and underlined ones he thought were important. "Is there any way you can just give me the basics? I'm not sure if my hand can handle all this information – let alone my brain."

"Oh, well, if you want the short stuff, you can always borrow this." Bianca reached into her shoulder bag and pulled out a red & matte gray device. She did a double-take at her hands, honestly surprised that she found something in her bag that quickly. Returning her attention back to the situation, she handed it to Ortega.

The Non-Com Officer stared at the object strangely. There were stickers and doodles all over it. "Er… What is…" He turned it and angled it around as if he could figure out what it was used for by just moving it.

"Here, let me show you." The blonde pressed herself against his shoulder and flipped open the device. A chime came from it, with a digital animation following shortly after. The animated title was not a name or word Ortega recognized. Bianca grabbed his hands and adjusted them so he was aiming the object towards the pignite.

"_Pignite,_" Ortega flinched as an electronic voice came from the device's speakers. The screen lit up with a picture of the pokémon and listed a few key attributes of it. The digital voice continued, "_The Fire Pig Pokémon and the evolved form of Tepig. Pignite's food converts into fuel for the flame that burns in its stomach, and when fuel burns in its stomach, its speed increases._"

"What is this thing?" His eyes were wide with fascination as he moved the item around in the air.

"It's called a Pokédex." Bianca grinned. "We use it to find information on pokémon we see out in the wild or owned by other Trainers."

"Amazing!" Ortega looked over his shoulder and called out, "Hey, Specs! Get over here!"

From the far side of the Corridor, a tall and lank-faced man turned and hurried towards them. He slowed when he caught sight of the pignite, but continued forward after locking eyes with Silt. "Sir?"

Ortega waved him closer and showed the soldier the Pokédex. "You ever seen anything like this?"

'Specs' squinted his eyes. He showed genuine curiosity for the object. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a pair of thick-framed glasses – his nickname's origin made obvious. "And what is this?"

"Some kind of device that can give information on any Pokémon it scans." the NCO answered as he handed him the object. He looked up at Bianca. "Oh, you don't mind if I –"

"No, go right ahead." She shook her head. "I don't mind."

The two men inspected the object with great interest, pressing buttons and scrolling through options. Bianca found it hard not to smile; it was as if she had introduced fire to cavemen. For once in her entire journey away from home, she had felt useful and dependable. It was a pleasant change.

"_You know how useful this could be for the Resistance?_" Ortega had muttered to his tall friend.

"It'd definitely give us a great advantage." the man replied.

"_You think you can replicate it?_"

"Definitely. I'll need some time, and access to more resources. Information libraries, combat data, and necessary materials."

"I'll give you clearance for that. But first," Ortega returned his attention to the blond woman. "Bianca, you wouldn't mind if we made a copy of this, would you? It'll take time, maybe weeks, maybe months – so we wouldn't be able to return it to you immediately. But it would be a great help to the Resistance in our fight against the Empire."

"Uh… Uhm…" Bianca's eyes widened. The words 'useful', 'advantage', 'time', 'resources', and 'necessary' were used by the two men. 'BiBi' had constantly reminded her that those were key words that required 'bargaining chips'. This was an important decision, a very important decision. And it was all up to her. She looked around, 'BiBi' was nowhere to be found – neither were any of the main decision-making members of their team.

_Oh no… What do I say?_ Bianca never had to make choices within the group, especially ones that used any 'key words'. She had no idea how to approach the subject. Though she was a part of Leanne, the brains of the team, she was only useful at adding unpredictable and unseen suggestions. Analysis and strategy were not a part of her skill portfolio; those were in her counterpart's area of expertise. Her mind throbbed as she did her best to think what she would do as Leanne.

…

All her thoughts came up empty. Panic and anxiety had jumbled everything in her mind that could have been useful in a decision. She returned her attention back to the two men. They were still staring at her. "Uhm…" They continued to stare at her. She had hoped dearly that her noticeable hesitation would have discouraged one of them and made them retract the request. But it didn't. They held the same stare no matter how long she took to answer, which only meant that her answer was extremely important to them. _Why? Why me? I'm no good at this!_

'_Sometimes when people ask for help, you don't have to think twice about giving them everything they need and more. If it's what they needed, then you can be happy in aiding someone who really needed you. If it isn't what they needed, then you can be happy that you were there to learn the lesson with them. Either way, you can be happy that they weren't left alone with their problems. Happy that they weren't alone. That's reward enough… don't you think so?'_

Sato's words echoed in her mind… She couldn't remember having that conversation with him. No, she knew for a fact that she herself never had that conversation with him. _Was that one of Leanne's memories?_

Bianca nodded to herself and smiled. "Go right ahead. In fact, you can keep it! If it's to help the people of Sinnoh, then I'll gladly donate it to your cause. I just hope it can help everyone in other regions too."

The Non-Com Officer blinked. He was surprised by her answer. For a moment he had thought she was going to ask for something in return… and though he would have gladly offered, their Resistance Branch has been running low in resources to offer anything of real value. "Then we'll make extra copies for the other Branches! By the end of the year, every region's Resistance groups will be equipped with one of these lovely devices. Right, Specs?"

"Sir!"

"Get started on it. I suggest you take it to the Lab first for inspection. I'll head off to Vault F; see if I can get you some prototype material." Ortega patted Specs on the back as a signal to leave. The man nodded and began running down the Corridor. He disappeared around a corner. Turning to make his leave as well, Ortega gave a quick salute to Bianca. "Consider the Hearthome Branch Resistance your family, Ms. Bianca. You've given us something invaluable: A chance."

The NCO nodded and jogged down the opposite direction of Corridor F.

…

"I probably should've taken off my stickers."

* * *

"Bianca? What are you doing all the way out here?"

"Hm?" 'BiBi' looked up, unused to hearing her name. It was Dawn. The Coordinator's blue eyes looked down at her in worry. Curled up in a corner beside a crude water fountain, the Alto Mare native had looked like she was hiding from someone. Or perhaps everyone, Dawn considered. "Oh hey, Dawn. _Just um…_"

Bianca looked around before standing up and stretching. She relaxed herself with a yawn. "Just getting a little privacy."

"Privacy?"

The two moved towards a less cramped area and found an open spot to sit. Passing Resistance members that noticed them began hurrying in their footsteps. Some were hiding their faces with their collars. Bianca sighed. "_Yeah…_ Ever since I pulled on that little show down in "Room R", the Resistance members… Well, you can see yourself." She gestured with her head to a couple that ran past them, keeping their faces hidden.

Dawn nodded sympathetically.

"Not only that," Bianca continued, "But the group wouldn't stop 'celebrating' me. It was flattering at first, but hearing 'BiBi' in every conversation wasn't very comfortable for me. That, and my back and shoulders are sore. Too many 'congratulatory pats' on the back."

The Coordinator laughed in embarrassment. She had been one of the many that had patted her back and talked about her with the others. "Sorry about that." she apologized lightly, "But you can't really blame us. You really saved us back there. That was way more than what we expected would happen – but you predicted it, and you even got us to work together like clockwork. That's something we expect from Leanne, but I think we forget that Leanne gets those smarts from you. You're the real Battle Analyst in our team."

Bianca smiled shyly, though she felt a tad sick inside. Everything the Coordinator had said were gratifying compliments, and she could blush about them later. But the fact was: this was exactly what she went into hiding for. The compliments weren't just too much for her; they were also incorrect on several aspects.

One aspect, the comparison to Leanne, was actually reversed: Bianca was hardly the strategic mind of the team. She had borrowed the logical form of thinking from Leanne's memories and personality. It was not something she could claim as a skill – only a mimicry bred from necessity and desperation… Desperate to be someone useful. So Ash and Sato would look her way.

_That itself is a disappointment_: Ash and Sato were unconscious when her plan had succeeded. The only ones whose praises and compliments she cared for had not even witnessed what she had accomplished. Another 'wasted' use of her talents for strategy and analytics.

_And there's another bother_: 'Battle Analyst'. It was a title given to Leanne within the past few weeks to describe her role in the team. Her original label 'Pokémon Researcher' was no longer relevant in the new world, due to the fact that no official organization recognized her as such. Even Gary's title as Pokémon Researcher was being questioned in its validity within the changed world. In response, a 'Battle Analyst' became the title that identified Leanne now. Analyzing battles. It was not a trait she was particularly proud of – as it suggested that she was only useful in combat. Opposite to that idea: Leanne preferred avoiding battles over analyzing them. Bianca agreed with that idea: She herself was a natural analyst… _for color and proportions in art, not war._

There were even more concerns that she found within Dawn's words, but she didn't fancy filling her head with things she found irritating. She didn't like judging others, even if she was good at it. Her hiding away from the others was meant to give her time to clear her head and face the others without a hint of scrutiny on her mind. Yet life would not give her that chance.

"How did you do that, anyways?" Dawn's question pulled the female Sketch-Artist out of her judgmental thoughts.

"Do what?"

"How did you know Solana and Ritchie were coming? How did they even find us?"

Bianca looked around to see if no one was looking their way. No one showed any sign of interest to look their way. Satisfied with that, she turned back towards Dawn and pointed towards her lips. The Coordinator tilted her head in confusion. Bianca answered her confusion by opening her mouth and pulling at its sides. Her other hand came up and pointed at one of her teeth. Second one to the back, on the left side of the bottom row, to be exact.

Dawn peered into the Alto Mare native's mouth and looked at the pointed tooth. It was slightly crooked. And there seemed to be something underneath it. "What is that?" she asked.

The mouth closed and the Sketch-Artist rubbed her jaw until it relaxed. "Track Signal."

"Track signal?"

"Every other hour I'm supposed to press that tooth. If not, a long-range signal goes out. The signal hits a range amplifier I set up in our camp, which sends it to another signal device with its own range amplifier. I've put one in every place we ever rested in. Basically, we have a massive distress signal network without the need of a satellite. Distress signal is linked to Solana's pokédev. Our last known location is saved to each signal device, so she can find us even if one of the devices goes dead or gets deactivated."

Dawn's face was slack with disbelief. "B-But –"

Bianca knew every question she could have asked about the device. "I press my tooth twice to turn it off and on, so I don't have to worry about it while I'm asleep or focused on something else. Dominique and I found this tech in one of the Rocket bases we infiltrated weeks ago – I volunteered to have it installed on me, and Solana was chosen to carry the tracker. And yes, that's why we had Solana and Ritchie on missions separate from our own – so that we all couldn't be captured without access to reinforcements. And how it was installed? Threatened one of the Rocket surgeons to put it in there. His memory was temporarily erased and locked, surveillance cameras were wiped clean, and several other devices were stolen, vandalized, or destroyed. So there's no easy evidence left for Team Rocket to figure out what happened in there. How many signal amplifiers do I have left? I'd rather not say. And yes, I can chew without activating it. I have to press pretty hard just to make it work."

…

"Actually, I was just going to ask if it hurts."

Bianca snorted with laughter.

"What? Did I say something wrong?"

"N-No. You didn't say anything wrong. I guess I did, though." The Alto Mare native scratched her head in embarrassment. "I just went on a huge rant, trying to sound all smart. Now I just look like an arrogant little know-it-all."

"I don't think so. And you definitely are smart. If anything, I wasn't smart enough to think of those questions!"

"It's okay. You don't have to defend me. I get carried away sometimes. …Oh, and no, it doesn't hurt at all."

Dawn leaned forward. "_You think I can get one of those?_" she whispered. "_Just so we have a back-up one in case yours breaks or something?_"

Bianca looked at her in interest. She had noticed on multiple occasions that the blue-haired Coordinator was always willing to learn a new skill or useful lesson from one of the members in their team. If the peer did not offer, she would make a request personally. And right now, the Coordinator was clearly making a personal request.

This intrigued the Sketch-Artist… because Dawn always seemed desperate to improve herself. And the truly intriguing part was the reason behind it: She was obviously trying to make herself useful for the team… specifically for a certain member of the team.

And she knew exactly who.

Dawn and Bianca used to be rivals. Since the moment she was recruited into the team, Bianca was treated with extreme prejudice and suspicion by the Coordinator from Twinleaf Town. In response, she would provoke Dawn into making poor decisions in order to shame her. Their bickering would continue to grow in intensity, as the prize was too important to give up. The two had competed fiercely for one reason and one reason only: Ash's attention and favor.

However, when Ash was 'lost' from them, their struggle ceased. And to get him back, they had to put aside their differences.

That time was long gone now… Ash was back, events moved forward, and other situations escalated in danger and importance. Their rivalry was forgotten.

_By Dawn, at least._

Bianca never forgot their unfinished business. It had been one of the main reasons that pushed her to improve herself to an entirely new degree. She had melded more and more with Leanne's personality and mind in order to mean something more to Ash.

Dawn had the advantage of experience and familiarity when it came to relations with the Pallet Town native. Bianca, on the other hand, had nothing. Except for her works. In recent weeks, through hard work and intense determination, Bianca had proved her worth. She gave up everything to catch Ash's gratitude. Ash's thanks. Ash's smile.

In contrast, Dawn had remained 'useless'. She was the real tag-along of the group, offering her service as a piece to complete 'Maya' and little else. Though she had a considerable amount of pokémon to help them in their fights, she wasn't as competent in battle as Gary – and May was quickly leaving her in the dust when it came to combat instincts as a Coordinator.

If she did not improve herself soon, Dawn was going to become a liability for the entire team.

"I don't think that's possible. The Rocket Base only had one of these. More than likely it was a prototype."

"_Shoot_… Ah well, it was worth asking." Dawn sighed in disappointment. "Pretty cool that you have it though. You're like a cyborg."

"Cyborg?"

"You know, like part robot. Though… I guess it's not really a part of you, is it? Just stuck in there? Nevermind." The Coordinator waved away her own comments. She stood. "Anyways, I'm going to go see if Ash is done with that negotiation-thing. You want to come?"

Bianca shook her head. "No, that's alright. You go ahead. Tell me if they are, though."

"Alright. See you later then, BiBi." Dawn patted dust off her skirt and ran down the Corridor.

…

The Alto Mare native reached into her pocket and felt around for the bump that resembled a strange stitching. Her fingers toyed with the spare Track Signal. _Sorry Dawn, but we haven't settled the score quite just yet._

* * *

"As for lodging, we can provide you a few rooms within Sector E. If you prefer larger rooms, I would suggest Room E-6; it has separated compartments instead of the bunkers found in other rooms. There's a bit of a cold draft in there though. Some kind of malfunction in our venting system that we can't pinpoint."

"What's in Room E-7?"

"Mostly empty. No bunkers or barriers have been set up there yet. We planned to use it as an alternate training room, but we've never quite had the time to get to it. For now, the soldiers have been using it as an on-and-off gambling den."

"Would you mind if we took that room then? It looks like it has everything we need without getting in the way of any of your men's comforts. That is, if they don't mind losing the gambling den."

"I'll inform them to stick to the official one we set up in the Mess Hall. It'll be easier for us in the long run, considering that there have been way too many brawls in Room E-7. …Cream, you got that?"

"Room E-7, guest quoi'tahs. Got it." The talking meowth scribbled several lines into a massive binder placed on the floor. After doing so, he checked his work within the past three pages.

"And as promised, these are the additional maps and patrol schedules for four Rocket facilities and six guard posts within northern Sinnoh." Sato slid a roll of papers down the conference table. Jessie caught it and unrolled them, eyeing over the sketches and notes.

She rolled them back up and put it over her shoulder. "Fin."

"Ma'am!" A guard moved out of the shadows. He saluted before taking the papers.

"Confirm and update these with ours. I want us raiding one of those bases by the end of the week, so double and triple-check them."

"Ma'am!" The guard nodded and marched out the door.

A sketchpad spun across the table. Sato caught it and looked through it. "I doubt we'll need much time to confirm your schedules and maps," Jessie said with a nod, "The ones we found in that pad alone have improved over twenty of our route charts."

Sato passed the sketchpad to Gary. "I'm sure Tracey would love to have this back."

"It's all he ever talks about." Gary placed the item into his bag.

"Would we be able to gain access to any of your maps or charts?" Misty asked as she eyed the large map of the base layout. Her finger tapped against one of the rooms. "Particularly the ones in the Archive Room?"

"Archive Room has more than just maps and charts." Jessie pressed her whip's handle against her chin as she looked through another large binder. "It acts as our Library as well. You'll find books there that the Rocket Empire wasn't able to burn yet."

"Even better."

"That collection cost us a lot of lives and threatened our security on more than one occasion. We'll need something worthwhile to open it up for your team."

"I'd stack it with the pile."

"You can't be serious." Jessie looked up at the orange-haired girl with a raised brow. "You really think that whatever secret you have to offer is worth the Archive, the Branch Connections, the Tunnel Layouts, and the Spy Network combined?"

"Worth more than that. I was thinking of adding one more item on there."

"And what would that be, exactly?"

Misty turned towards Sato and smiled. "VIP Café?"

He smiled back and nodded. "VIP Café."

"**VIP Café.**" the two said in unison.

"Ooooh, da' VIP Café. Good choice, good choice." Meowth wrote it down.

Jessie massaged her forehead. "Fine. Those two will be the last things for that pile. How do I even know that this secret of yours is even anything valuable?"

"For one," Gary stepped into the conversation. "It answers your question about what you saw in several of your surveillance cameras." He nodded towards the last guard stationed in the shadows. "Specifically, that man's questions about it."

The Pokémon Researcher paced towards one of the chairs and leaned against it. "Second, it'd explain how we escaped your prison. And lastly," He pointed towards James with his chin. "It'd answer his question."

Jessie turned and blinked at James. "Lavender? You had a question?"

He didn't answer. He hadn't even noticed that she asked him a question. His mind was busy and his eyes were narrowed. Those that had paid attention to him would have noticed that he had been in this near-catatonic state since the beginning of the negotiation talks. And everyone had paid attention to him. Jessie had just chosen to ignore it. She always considered her co-Boss to be a bit odd in his habits.

"Lavender?"

Without turning her way, James spoke his first words since he entered the room, "I know this sounds weird, Magenta… but I think I've seen these people before. I can't quite put my finger on it though."

"Now dat' ya' mention it, I tought' da' same ting, Lavvy." Meowth looked up and found himself staring as well.

The magenta-haired woman bit her lip. She had gotten the feeling as well, but she had assumed it was just a strange relapse of the memory. No matter how much she thought about it, she could not connect any of their faces to anyone she knew. There was no doubt in her mind that this was the first time she had ever seen them. But there was also no doubt in her mind that she had seen them a hundred times before. The very idea hadn't appeared until the young woman named Misty stood next to the man named Sato.

"And when do we get to find out about this big secret of yours?" Jessie asked. Her tone showed none of her thoughts and concerns. She wanted to keep the advantage, in case the outsiders were simply playing with those odd feelings.

"As soon as you ask your last guard to leave the room." the man named Sato responded to her.

…

"Rash."

"Yes, ma'am?"

"I want you to clear their names for Pure Red Access."

"M-Ma'am?"

"You heard me. I want our guests to have PRA."

"I-I'm not authorized to –"

Jessie pulled out a keycard from a hidden pocket and held it over her shoulder. "Congratulations, you've been promoted. Access code: Ten, ten, five, six. Got it?"

"Ten-Ten-Five-Six." the man repeated as he took the card.

"Your promotion is temporary."

"Yes, ma'am."

"So I suggest you take advantage of it and try the VIP Café before you're demoted."

"Yes, ma'am!" The guard immediately left the room without further encouragement.

Jessie walked over to the door and locked it. Pressing a concealed switch, she opened a hidden wall console and toggled off a switch. The security cameras in the room powered down.

She returned to her seat. James and Meowth sat on adjacent chairs.

"Is this good enough?" the woman asked.

"Perfect." Gary nodded. "Sato?"

Sato nodded back. He closed his eyes and let out a slow breath. A wisp of blue escaped his lips.

Jessie, James, and Meowth leaned forward in curiosity. In front of their eyes, the man in front of them seemed to shorten in size… and if they could believe it, they could have sworn he was getting younger in looks.

As the now-young man's eyes opened, they appeared faded as if he were blind. A noticeable scar ran across his face, perfectly traced around his eyelids. He patted his vest. Crawling up his back, a yellow mouse-like pokémon found a comfortable spot to sit on the young man's shoulder.

Misty scooted her chair closer towards him.

The sight of the three together caused the three HBR Bosses to narrow their eyes.

James scratched his chin. "Why do I suddenly want to call them 'twerps'?"

* * *

Angie looked around the corner for a second time. "Were those our maps?"

Anabel leaned to look with her. "I believe so."

"We better have gotten something good for them." The tomboy turned away and rested against the wall. "Those took forever to make. I don't want to spend another night sleeping on a rooftop so we can prove whether a guard's actually clocking out or just playing hooky."

"I know what you mean." the Frontier Brain agreed. "I'd at least hope that got us access to their Archive Room."

"Personally, I wouldn't mind if that got us access to the VIP Café."

"There you go again about the café…"

"You're just jealous that you didn't see it on your way over here."

Anabel snickered. "Unlike you, food isn't the only thing on my mind."

"Hey, that's the first time I've seen you laugh in… I dunno, _forever_."

"I laugh plenty." she defended. "But you're right. I haven't laughed in a long time." She let out an exhausted sigh. "Been hard to find a reason to laugh with all the stressful missions we've been pushing ourselves through. And if it isn't the mission, it's May driving me crazy."

"She still giving you trouble?"

"When is it never the case? The girl's impatient and her attitude's gotten rotten. And I'm pretty sure she hates me."

"Give her time; I'm sure she'll warm up to you. I know it took me a while to even remotely like you. Took us both a lot to even talk to one another without trying to rip each other's hair out."

"Are you suggesting that I get locked up in prison with her?"

"Well, that already happened. Did it help any?"

"No."

"Then we need an Officer Jenny to make sure it works."

The two laughed loudly, causing a few passing Resistance members to flinch. Anabel's shoulders relaxed. For the first time in a long time, she had felt comfortable outside of being 'Maya'. It had seemed like an eternity ago since she could take a situation lightly. Yet she was laughing over a memory that she used to be ashamed of. She had Angie to thank for that.

Anabel smiled towards the tomboy. Though it was not in her custom to, she patted her on the shoulder in a friendly manner. "You don't know how relieved I am to talk to you again, Anj."

"It's great to spend some time with you too, Anne." Angie smiled back.

"I've just been so stressed lately. One mission after another, one mission after the other. Never a break in sight, and nights are always spent half-awake. And then there's 'Sensing'. Always 'Sensing'. Have to always be aware of anyone approaching us while we're walking, while we're eating, while we're hiding, and even while we're sleeping. It's driving me crazy."

"Is Ash really pushing you that hard?"

"Well, _no…_" The Frontier Brain shrugged. "He'll take over most times, but… I don't want someone to just sneak up on us when we least expect it, you know? I mean, Leanne and BiBi are always aware. They always have a plan or a trick up their sleeve. And you've seen how many times they've saved our lives by doing that."

Angie shook her head. "Are you seriously comparing yourself to them? They're like robots! It's unfair for anyone to compare themselves with those gals… well, except maybe Quinn and Sabrina, but they're practically superhuman, so it doesn't count."

"And they never fail. I did."

"What are you talking about? You never failed. You always came through for us."

"Need I remind you that the Resistance members captured us? And that they only got to capture us because I didn't sense them coming? That was my fault. I thought I was paying attention, but I wasn't…"

"Hey, you can't blame yourself for that. I'm sure they had a special kind of training or device on them that made them invisible to you."

Anabel frowned. "They didn't. I could sense them clear as day when they had those knives on us. Their emotions were so obvious and loud. It's pathetic that I couldn't sense them sooner."

"Any reason why you couldn't?"

Anabel's frown disappeared. She knew that if she had explained this situation to anyone else, they would have continued to tell her that it wasn't her fault and then drown her in compliments. Yet she could always count on Angie's honesty. The tomboy could be called many things… _a thief, a thug, a brute, a child…_ but she could never be called a bold-faced liar. Angie would never dance around a subject to make a person feel better: _She's a terrible pretender._

"I haven't slept in three days." Anabel admitted.

"What?"

"I haven't slept in three days." Anabel repeated. She was looking away, as if the topic was not important enough to require her full commitment. "Maybe four."

"Why not?!" Angie punched her shoulder.

The Empathic winced. "Ow." She had forgotten how rough the tomboy could be. "Because Ash hasn't either."

"What?!"

"_Technically_ he has… But_ technically_ he hasn't. And if he isn't sleeping, I'm not sleeping."

"What do you mean 'technically'? How do you '_technically_' not sleep?"

"Have you noticed how he and Sato have been switching back and forth?"

"Yeah."

"Did they do that before?"

"Yes."

"No, they haven't." Anabel turned towards Angie and lowered her voice. "_Ash and Sato always share the body, they never completely replace the other without one of them getting knocked out or absolutely exhausted._"

"So you're saying that Ash and Sato are taking turns at being awake now?"

"_Precisely._"

"And why would they do that?"

"_Probably because of the stress we've all been putting ourselves through. I think they've noticed that we're not as… cheerful as we used to be._"

Angie elbowed the wall behind her in irritation. "Well _duh_! We're constantly on the run! And we haven't exactly found a safe spot to relax until now! Even the Refuge felt unsafe. Why would we still be cheerful? Are we supposed to be happy that the world's changed? That Team Rocket took control of a God Pokémon and made every nation bow to them?! We supposed to be cheerful that not even our parents recognize us?!" She struck the ground with her fist and cursed.

…

"Sorry. Didn't mean to burst out like that." the tomboy sighed.

"No, I understand." Anabel patted Angie again. "I don't think he meant it that way, though. I think –"

"Yeah, yeah, I know what he means by it." Angie removed Anabel's hand from her shoulder. "I'm just upset that he's not getting any sleep because of it. I mean, even if they keep switching back and forth like that, that body of theirs isn't going to get any _real_ rest. Maybe their mind's working fine, but that body's going to break down eventually!"

"It has been…"

"What do you mean?"

"Ash and Sato are switching more often now, as if they each can't stay awake for as long as they used to. And more than once I've seen both of them faint from fatigue."

"Someone's gotta' confront them…"

"I already have."

"And?"

Anabel shook her head. "They wouldn't listen. Kept telling me not to worry."

"Figures."

"I told them that if they wouldn't sleep, then I wouldn't."

"And here we are."

The two sighed in unison.

…

…

"What does that even accomplish?!" Angie growled loudly at the silence.

"Huh?"

"What does staying awake all the time even do for us?! The situation isn't going to get any better by refusing to sleep, you know what I mean?"

"_Well…_ We've had extra rations and maps for a reason: They've been running missions while we've been asleep."

"WHAT?!" Angie jumped to her feet. She turned and stormed towards the Conference Room. Anabel held her back by the shoulders. "LET GO OF ME! THAT IDIOT! I'M GOING TO KNOCK HIM OUT MYSELF!"

"Anj! Calm down!" Anabel struggled to pull her away from the door.

"DON'T TELL ME TO CALM DOWN! TELL HIM TO STOP BEING AN IDIOT! WE'RE A TEAM! A TEAM! YOU HEAR ME, ASH?! SATO?! A TEAM!"

"The door's soundproof." a passing soldier mentioned factually. Angie glared at him. "Er… _I'll be on my way then_." He shuffled off.

The tomboy continued to struggle in Anabel's grasp. "I really didn't want to do this, Anj, but…"

"DON'T YOU DARE, ANNE! DON'T YOU –" A numbing sensation came over her. All forms of passion and drive were suppressed by an overwhelming feeling of apathy. Angie continued to struggle however, physically and emotionally. Despite there being no force or reason left for her body to continue to fight – she struggled. "YOU'RE… NOT… GOING… TO STOP ME, ANNE!"

With an elbow to the rib and a twist of the thumb, Angie broke away from Anabel's grip and reversed the situation. Now Anabel was on her knees, wincing in pain as the tomboy continued to twist her arm through her thumb. "S-Stop it, Anj! He did it for us!"

"YOU DON'T THINK I KNOW THAT?! YOU DON'T…"

…

Angie let go of the Frontier Brain. Her fingers roughly ran through her own hair. Turning away, she kicked at a nearby wall. "…Sorry, Anne. I don't know what that was all about."

Anabel knew. Within Angie's uncontrolled rage, she witnessed hints of Ramie's influence. The hot-headed Fighter was known for her quick temper and stubbornness. Traits like these passed down to each of her 'pieces' in some form or another, subtle or obvious. And the more time was spent as 'Ramie', the more apparent these traits became for the tomboy. It was like this for each of the other members who could 'unify'. Even Anabel noticed that she wasn't quite herself lately.

"_It's okay, Anj._" she said weakly. Her shoulder continued to ache terribly. "This entire thing has been impossibly difficult for all of us… Sato… Ash is just trying to make it so that we don't break because of it."

"By breaking himself?" Angie laughed heartlessly. "Oh that's fair!"

"…He saved May, you know that?"

Angie didn't answer.

"Her stomach sickness changed, remember? She started getting a fever, and we thought it would be the end of her little flu. Fevers usually are the last things that happen. Well, her fever got worse and…"

"I know, and she got better in the morning, but that was because we kept her hydrated through the night."

"No, the water we were giving her made her worse. The water was contaminated. Every one of our rations was contaminated."

Angie looked at her in disbelief. "_What_?"

"It was from when we escaped a group of Hunters by diving into the sewers…"

"Oh… But we all felt fine after that."

"Except for May. And she was having adverse reactions to the food and water. We didn't realize it until it was too late."

"But she felt better in the morning after the fever! I remember that!"

"Because Ash stole clean water and food rations from the nearby Rocket base early the following morning. He even got her medicine."

"_Why… Why didn't he tell anyone?_"

Anabel sighed and returned to a sitting position on the floor. "Sabrina told him not to. She was worried that if anybody knew that they've been eating and drinking from germ-infested food that they would get sick too. 'Worry about sickness and you weaken your own immunity system.' That kind of thinking… And if we all got sick, he would've needed to steal more food and medicine; risking his safety more than he should have."

"_That jerk_… Both of them are jerks." Angie pulled out a toothpick and began chewing on it. "So he saved May. He should've slept after that. At least a darn victory nap."

"Before that, he helped Sabrina set up that security system near Celestic Town. That took all night. He and Maylene went on a rescue mission when Solana and Ritchie got caught in Veilstone. That took an entire day and a half. He's been helping BiBi place these devices in every area we rest at. I still don't know what those things do, but I know it's important. And more recently, he helped Dominique rig that Rocket base with explosives."

"…Seriously? And no one's noticed that he hasn't been sleeping? No wait – YOU!" Angie glared at Anabel angrily. She spat the toothpick from her mouth. "You've known all this time! We've been travelling everywhere not even getting a hint of what was going on! But you? You've known all along! And you haven't done a thing about it?!"

"I may not have had much sleep lately, Anj, but I've slept before." Anabel folded her arms and avoided her glare. "I wasn't completely sure this was happening until a few nights ago."

"But you had a suspicion it was happening! That's why you were spying on him!"

"Yes. Yes, I had a _suspicion_! But it was nothing more than that. I wasn't just going to accuse him for something I 'kind of' knew he was doing!"

"But you could have done something about it! We didn't know what was going on! _You did_! Even if it was an assumption, it was a hint! You could've stopped him earlier but you didn't!"

"AND YOU COULD'VE CARED ABOUT HIM ENOUGH TO LOOK AFTER HIM AND YOU DIDN'T!" Anabel exploded. "YOU WERE TOO BUSY TALKING ABOUT YOUR PARENTS AND GARY! ABOUT YOUR HOUSE! ABOUT YOUR HOMETOWN! ABOUT WHAT YOU HAD FOR LUNCH! BUT YOU NEVER ONCE TOOK THE TIME TO SEE HOW ASH WAS!"

She moved away, breathing hard. Within that moment she didn't realize what had come over her. It was the first time she had ever let go of her emotions since the world had changed. Controlling her feelings became her number one priority within their new reality. But that had broken within the instant. Every emotion she had ever suppressed had flooded out, and it easily overpowered whatever emotions Angie had.

The tomboy was silent. Everyone was silent. Soldiers and guards seemed to avoid their area of the Corridor and only spoke with hushed voices. Anabel would have felt ashamed if she had not felt so relieved.

"…_I know I didn't stop him._" She wiped the tears away from her eyes and sighed. "But I helped him as much as I could. I thought that once we found a safe zone – a real safe zone, that he would get some sleep. So I pushed. I _pushed_ and _pushed_ myself so that we could find that safe zone. Just so he could sleep."

…

Angie nodded. "And here we are."

"Yeah… Here we are."

…

Angie bent down and gave Anabel a quick embrace. "Sorry. _I'll…_ I'll go ask around. To see if I can get us some beds. OK?"

"Okay…"

"And if he doesn't sleep, we'll go with my plan."

"Which is?"

"I already said: I'll knock him out myself."

"Sounds like a plan."

"I'll knock you out too, if I have to."

Anabel smiled. "Thanks, Anj."

"Thank me after you regain consciousness." Angie smiled back.


	5. Perceptions

"Ash this, Sato that. _Pfah!_ They talk about him like he's Arceus himself!" Todd complained loudly.

"You already used that comparison."

"Well guess what?"

"Arceus was captured by Team Rocket."

"Arceus was captured by Team Rocket! So what does that say about him?"

"The bigger they are, the harder they fall."

"The bigger they are, the harder they fall! And I'd buy a surfboard just for that day. Do you know why?"

"Because when he falls, and he will fall, the impact is going to cause tsunamis."

"Because when he falls, and he _will_ fall, the crash is going to cause tsunamis!"

"Ah, crash, right."

"I swear, Trace, it was the hundredth time I heard his names today! Honestly, this place must be a cavern because I'm hearing echoes of his names all over the place!"

"…Yeah, I'm hearing echoes too." Tracey crumpled up another overused sheet of paper and tossed it into the open bin next to the table. Placing his pencil on his ear, he stood from his seat. "Anyways, I'm going to find someplace that's quieter."

Todd nodded without listening. "Mm. Grab me another drink while you're up."

The Sketch-Artist rolled his eyes and walked out of the Mess Hall.

"Thanks, Trace." He scooped more food into his mouth.

As he chewed, he turned his head left and right, up and down; studying the area around him. Taupe concrete walls, floor, and ceiling; shaped in a block with no lines that showed any form of segmentation or connection. _It's like they carved this room inside a giant cube of rock._ Steel squares of different sizes framed the walls, being its only decoration. _And it's only for decoration; it doesn't offer any kind of hold, stability, or shock absorbance. Maybe it's to give this place more of an industrial look – so that the plain concrete doesn't tempt graffiti._ Stains could be found on both concrete and steel. Oranges, greens, browns, and reds. _Lots of roughhousing happened here. And this place has been occupied long enough to make some of those stains permanent. Can probably find a lot of history behind each of them if I ask the right soldiers._ Tall block columns that match the color of the concrete, with flakes of plaster peeled away. Red bricks underneath.

His mind was completely occupied by the study of the scenery that he hadn't noticed the soldier who slid into the seat in front of him.

"Oh, this seat isn't taken, is it?"

He automatically shook his head. The person sat and readied the food on their platter.

After a few bites, the person had noticed Todd's interested gaze of the area. "Like the Mess Hall's design? I think it's kind of "eh", but hey, it's home."

The Photographer pointed at one of the columns. "See, there's a line at the top and at the base… but there's no lines on any of the walls. Even when it connects to the floor and ceiling: it's smooth. And there's no color difference, so it has to be one object. But the columns? They were placed here separately."

"Huh… I never noticed that. You've got a good eye."

"So the question is," Todd continued without looking at who he was speaking to, "Is all of this just for looks, or is there some kind of hidden design to it?"

"You a conspiracy buff?"

"No, no. Nothing so outrageous. But if you know why a place was designed the way it was, then you know the history of a place. And when you know the history, the picture becomes 'deeper' and more 'familiar' with the viewer."

"The picture?"

"Yeah, like a photograph. I'm planning on taking a picture of this place. Maybe along that wall over the–" Todd turned to make eye contact with the person he had been speaking with, just to ensure that they really were looking at where he was pointing. He had fallen silent when he had caught sight of his conversation partner.

"Oh yeah! That'd be a good spot for a photograph! Especially if you get it in the right angle." Eyes of silvered blue, skin of perfect olive, hair of jet black. Her eyelashes curled like the gentle crescent that glinted at the bottom of a lens, and they seemed to wave like a gentle breeze with every blink and flutter. Her lips were thin and shined ruby, its shape was almost frail yet had a deadly sharpness to it, like a blade made of a precious gem. And her nose, celestial and medium in size, curved perfectly down, away, and up from her forehead, its shape almost directing the audience where to look. All presented like royal treasures on her heartened face. Ribbons of her hair broke away from its ponytail and decorated her cheeks in mesmerizing locks, completing the stunning package that sat just three and a half feet away from him.

Todd dropped his spoon. It fell with a loud clatter that snapped him out of his stares. "A-Ah! Dropped my fork there!"

The female soldier giggled. "Your _fork_, huh?"

"U-Uh, spoon? Spoon! Yes, _spoon_." Todd cleared his throat. "Sorry, lost myself –"

"In my eyes?" A smirk formed across her face.

Her forwardness stunned him. The surprise forced him to change angles in thought. "N-No, in thought. Of… this place! I was thinking of taking a few photos here."

"Are you an architect?"

"_Pfah!_ Hardly! I'm a Photographer." Todd pulled up his camera case and opened it. "Back where I come from, I'm one of the main Photographers for popular magazines and newspapers."

The woman looked at his camera and nodded with pursed lips, impressed. "Pretty expensive-looking."

"Cost me a lot of paychecks just to upgrade to this baby." He patted it carefully.

"You said 'where I come from', where is that exactly? Far as I know, the Empire doesn't hire outsiders to do photographs for their articles."

"O-Oh!" _Uh oh, what am I supposed to say? 'Back in my world'? 'From a time before the change that affected this reality'? 'Here, but before Team Rocket corrupted it with their captured god'? Yeah, real subtle and believable, Todd!_ He struggled with his thoughts, eventually blurting out, "…Just some continent up in the east. Not a real well-known one, though."

He flinched. _Crap! Why did I say that? Now I sound like some kind of exclusive show-off!_

The soldier shrugged. "Wouldn't know it even if you told me. I'm not good with knowing my regions." She gave a small laugh that made Todd's heart skip a beat.

His head shook slightly, brushing off the childish blush that nearly took his dignity. "Yeah, I'm not either. I just kind of travel the globe and hope my maps aren't wrong." he half-lied.

She half-believed him. "I get what you're saying. So… You're one of those outsiders, eh? The ones that challenged Magenta in "Room R" and won?"

"Yeah. Don't take it personally though, we were just defending ourselves."

"Don't bother explaining, I know how Ms. B 'interviews' outsiders. I'm surprised no one tried to show her what's-what sooner. Oh, and I don't mean _'B' as in 'Boss'_."

"Not fond of your superiors?"

She tilted her head from side-to-side. "The other Bosses, I'm cool with. Her? Everyone worships her like she's some kind of hero. But far as I can tell, she hasn't done anything to deserve that treatment. Yeah, she keeps us working together and she points us in the right direction, but anyone with the right attitude can do what she does! She ain't no hero yet. Until she herself saves the Sinnoh region, she's just a Grade A wannabe. Nothing against her personally, but how people treat her, you know?"

"You have _no idea_ how much I know." _I think I'm in love with this girl._ "…Ah, where are my manners? My name's Todd." He held out his hand and gave his most charming grin.

She seemed impressed by the grin as she gave an interested smirk. "Tonya." They shook hands. "I have a code name, but eh, people freak out too much about that stuff. Besides, you're not going to rat us out, are ya'?"

"Lips are sealed."

"Then you're no outsider. Resistance Punishment averted." she giggled.

"So, uh, Tonya… Would you mind being in some of my photos?"

She swallowed her food with a wince and wiped the strange-colored slop off her lips. "I'm not exactly model material."

_That's a bold-faced lie._ Todd snickered quietly to himself. "Don't worry about it. I just need someone to pose in the center and sides of my pictures. Just so that the photos don't look so empty and flat."

"Well, if it's to help you out with your work, I guess I wouldn't mind."

"Great!" Todd stood and began to ready his camera. "Let's get started."

"_Wait_!" Tonya tried to yell, but her mouth was still full, "Need to finish my lunch first!"

* * *

Grunts, yells, roars, and howls vibrated and shattered the air like lightning, with the sudden thumps and crashes that shook the floors and walls being its thunder. As if caught by strong winds, figures below, some thick as trees – some compact as stones, rocked, bobbed, waved, struck, and rolled. The strongest statures stood stiff and unrelenting, giving the appearance of ancient mountains and canyons that withstood everything but time. Energy seemed to spark, climax, and waver as the minutes ticked by. Within the end of the hour, it would be the end of the violence, and the air would clear as if nothing had ever disturbed it.

This was the Storm Room – the training arena for the Hearthome Resistance.

Soldiers, guards, and commandos exercised their offense, defense, and reflexive techniques on pads and mats. Designated coaches and masters watched over them with evaluating eyes, keeping aware of when an individual needed more discipline or a promotion. Those who were not performing on the mats, were paying for it on the surrounding track through quick sprints and weighted runs. No matter how one practiced within the Storm Room – they had done so with one purpose in mind: Self-improvement.

It was no different for the two that sparred on the sidelines.

Of the two, one moved and fought as if she were the embodiment of the storm itself. Her kicks struck like lightning, her punches rolled like thunder, her dodges were fluid like the wind, and her rapid steps were light as the rain. She was an experienced fighter, far more experienced than even the most senior soldier within the room.

Opposing her was a female of an entirely different anatomy. Her strikes were quick yet undirected, her defenses were reactive yet fleeting, her movements were aggressive yet clumsy, and her approaches to combat were instinctual yet naïve. She resembled the element of a new flame: fierce, passionate, but quick to die out.

"Come on! Put your shoulder and elbow into it!"

"_HAAA!_"

"That's more like it! But I've still got my right defended. Strike the left!"

"_HYAA!_"

"Good! But now I've got both sides defended. Find an opening!"

May roared as she swung forward and struck a fist to the left, the right, then the center. Each blow was blocked and deflected. Her sparring partner was about to say something, and the Coordinator took it as her opportunity to go for a jab. The assault failed when its target moved out of its swing. She paid for the attempt with three blows: one to the rib, one to the chin, and one to the temple.

Staggering to keep her balance, May moved sideways three steps before falling over completely. "_Owww…_"

"Good try with the jab!" Maylene laughed. The Veilstone City Gym Leader – _or former Gym Leader now_ – hopped forward and sat on the downed Coordinator's back. "But you keep aiming for the same spots over and over. That's not going to work in a real fight."

"_Owww_, please get off me!" May wheezed as she tried to crawl out from underneath her.

Maylene responded by crossing her feet together. She sat happily on her moving chair. "You'll want to think less horizontally and think more vertically. There's more than just my arms, stomach, chest, and ribs. Try attacking my legs, knees, feet, or head. Heck, even shoulders and elbows if you can hit them without dropping your center defense."

"_I can't… breathe!_" the Coordinator whined loudly. Her arms reached out to a passing runner, pleading them to rescue her. The soldier apologized with a nod – they had their own concerns.

"And it isn't always about striking." Maylene continued, almost uncaring for her friend's cries. "Try grabbing, pushing, pulling, or feinting. If your opponent has a solid defense on all sides, then peel away their defense. Slowly, if you have to."

May gave up in her struggle. Flopping her arms back to the ground, she accepted her fate as the fighter's land boat. She only wished that the pain involved in being so would be alleviated soon.

…

"May?"

…

"May?" Maylene poked her head.

"_Mrph._" she responded.

"You want to take a break?"

"_Meph feeshph…_"

Rolling off the Coordinator, Maylene spun and jumped onto her feet with as much energy as she had when she first entered the Storm Room. Oppositely, May clawed the wall until she could find her footing – with as much energy as the guards on the side who had just completed their punishment runs. _At least they're not covered in bruises._ May thought to herself. Her whole body ached terribly.

**Thud**.

Something hit her head and fell to the floor. She looked down. It was a water bottle. Before she could react, another object hit her face. This one was at least softer: a towel. With a tired grasp, the Coordinator wiped the sweat off her neck and head. Her eye caught a glimpse of blood on the white towel, but she ignored it. _Wouldn't be the first time…_ After a quick scan around her, May quickly slipped the towel up her shirt and patted off the heavy sweat on her chest and armpits. _Ahh, a lot better…_

Slow breath in. _Slow breath out._ The stress of her body disappeared for a moment as May accessed her Empathic senses. She searched out behind her, towards Maylene.

…

…

_Nothing._ She sighed. The woman from Veilstone was still impossible to read for her. Though she had been told on several occasions by Anabel and Ash that Maylene's emotions were always difficult to sense, she had thought that if anyone could read it perfectly: it would be her. Being a part of her made her assume that the task would be easier… Part of the whole that made 'Ramie'.

Yet no matter how long she had spent with her, how many instances she had bonded with her, and how many times she had sparred with her: She was no closer to sensing Maylene's emotions.

_Is it because she doesn't want me to read her? Or am I just terrible at this Empathy stuff still?_

For May, reading Maylene's emotions would be her milestone. She was already a solid fighter – _well, more solid than most of the other members on our team_ – due to her training sessions with the pink-haired fighter, and she had already gained a stronger sense of confidence – _definitely much stronger_ – due to her quality time spent with the rough-mannered Angie… But her Empathy was still lacking. If she could master it, she would have fulfilled the desire that was a part of her very existence.

When Sato had used Arceus' powers to save Maya's life all those countless eons ago, he had asked the Alpha Pokémon to grant each of his closest companions' wishes. These wishes took different forms within the new universe. Some obvious, some subtle, and others drastic. But for Ramie, her wish to be everything that Maya meant to Sato came in the form of May.

May was destined to be similar to Maya in many aspects, which had explained her affinity with Empathy. But she wasn't a 'Maya'; she was a 'Ramie'. There was no doubting or denying that, and it felt liberating when she had grown to accept it. May could never be a 'Maya', no matter how powerful the being that granted her wish. Ramie could never be Maya, no matter how strongly she desired to be. May was the attempt to become someone she wanted to be. She was halfway to becoming that someone, and it was a discouraging thought that she could never be.

But 'Ramie' could never be a 'May' either.

The life she was granted and the opportunities she was given were aligned perfectly with the secret longing inside Ramie's wish: She didn't want to become Maya; she wanted to be _better_ than her. And May could be that… if she could only master her Empathy.

And drove her into maddening irritation that the only way she could train her Empathy was through learning under one of the 'Maya's, Anabel. _But once I can read Maylene perfectly, I can start training myself. No more Anabel improving off of her lessons for me._

Opening her eyes, May's awareness returned to the reality around her: the shouts, the impacts, the grunts and gasps. And the ache all over her body. She groaned as she limped towards one of the bleachers. Dropping more than bending, she sat down poorly, nearly falling over.

Maylene was already sitting in the bleachers. Noticing the Coordinator joining her, she slid closer and patted her on the back. "Good spar."

"Yeah, I guess so." May responded with a smile. "Still nowhere near as good as you, though."

"It's not always about being better. Sometimes it's about being satisfied with yourself."

The words stung. For a moment, May had wondered if the fighter knew what she was trying to accomplish for the past few weeks. But the idea was a poor assumption at best: Maylene had no connection to Empathy, and she rarely attempted to figure people out. Like Angie, she was more of a 'go with the flow' sort.

"Have you seen Latias around?" May asked, wanting to change the subject in her own mind. "She was with us when we went into the Corridor. But I didn't see her with either of the Biancas when I passed by them."

"Conference Room." Maylene responded simply.

"_But…_ I didn't see her go in there. It was just Ash, Pikachu, Gary, and Misty, right?"

"Nah, Latias went in there too. Invisibility and all that, y'know?"

"If she went invisible, then how do you know she went in there?"

"BiBi told her to." she said with a nonchalant tone, though she was aware that the fact was not something everyone else was aware of. "So Latias can show her what happened in there with Sight Sharing."

"H-How do you know all that?"

"Heard her give Latias the command herself."

May raised her brow. "Hey… _waitaminute!_ You keep yelling at me and Angie for eavesdropping on people, and you just eavesdropped on BiBi!"

Maylene shrugged. "I'm looking out for the team. Unlike you and Anj, sticking your noses in everyone's business just because you're bored."

"And how is spying on BiBi 'looking out for the team'?"

The fighter sat slightly closer and leaned forward, looking as if she was relaxing. With her head dipped, she began to whisper, "_BiBi has her hands in everything in and around this team. Whatever happens in it, around it, because of it, or through it: She knows or she caused._"

She had the Coordinator's full attention now. May lowered her shoulders and her volume. "_She planning on something?_"

"No, not really. Well, she's always planning something – but nothing against us. Fact is, nothing gets passed her. For now it just looks like she's keeping an eye on the team… _but if you ask me: having that much control on the team is just asking for trouble._"

"Why do you say that?"

"That's Quinn's territory, or Sabrina's. Whichever you want to point at. _And Quinn and Sabrina? They know._"

"They know…?"

"_Everything. Everything that's been going on. Everything Leanne and BiBi have been doing._"

"And…?"

"_And…_ nothing. That's all I know about those two."

"So… Why are you spying on them if nothing's going on?"

"Because something _is_ going on. Quinn never says what's going on in her head, and Leanne keeps way too many secrets. Even if it doesn't look like it: there's a power struggle going on right now in our team. It's being done quietly and without anyone noticing. And when it escalates, _it isn't going to be pretty_."

"So what do we do?"

"For now? Nothing. I'm just keeping an eye on everyone. I may not be the team's leader anymore, but I can still do my part on watching out for you guys."

"Does Ash or Sato know anything about this?"

Maylene's eyes narrowed and a strange smile formed on her face. She began nodding slowly. "_Ohhh yes_ he knows. He knows _very_ well what's going on. Probably more than I do. And he isn't getting any sleep because of it."

"As in, he hasn't been sleeping well – or he literally hasn't been sleeping?"

"Literally." she clarified. "He's been playing all sides of the field just to keep everyone balanced. That keeps him up. As long as someone's doing or planning something: he's up and involved. And you can bet he let Quinn go 'information gathering' for a reason. What reason? I don't know. But I sure as heck know that it wasn't just so we could get an advantage on Team Rocket."

"How do you know all this?" May showed genuine interest, as well as concern. She had no 'power' in the team in terms of leadership or influence, but the fear that something big was going to happen because of these 'powers' fighting each other kept her curious. "And how long has this been going on?"

"It's been happening since we all brought back Ash. Things haven't been so black and white and clear since then. We have Ash back, but now the world's in trouble again. And with everything N told us? About how we _didn't need all of us just to stop 'the darkness'_?" Maylene sighed heavily. "Most of us are beginning to wonder what we're fighting for anymore."

"Even you?"

The fighter sat up and laughed. "No way! I always know what I'm fighting for. I'm sticking with this group and making sure that we fix everything!" A sad smile formed on her face. "It's the others that don't know… _Like I said: Ash is back._ That's the reason why we 'unified' in the first place, right? To get him back. It was the reason why we still stuck together as a team too: because he needed all of us to bring him back. _Now that he's here…_ What now?"

May looked down at her feet. Her mind began to fill with questions she never considered. "But… that shouldn't change anything, _right_? We're still friends. And we're all trying to beat Team Rocket so that the world goes back to the way it used to… We're doing this so we can protect those we care about."

"And in the end? What happens if the one you care about stops caring about you?"

"What… What do you mean?"

"That's what everyone's scared of. We're in _this_ together. What happens when the _'this'_ goes away? I'm sure even you have thought about breaking away from our team members. Leading your own life. Striking it out on your own. Your own goals, your own achievements. What happens when this little 'operation' ends and you get that chance?"

"…I…"

"That was supposed to happen when we brought back Ash. That was supposed to happen when we defeated 'the darkness'. But it never did. The missions keep going, the adventure keeps going, and we never get that closing. That conclusion. And it's making us rethink a lot of things that we thought were going to have simple answers."

"Like… What's Ash going to do at the end of all this?"

"Hit it right on the head, May. I'm sure every girl in our group, minus Solana, Dom, and maybe the blonde, has thought about that question at least once."

"Do you have an answer?"

"Yeah. I'm gonna' date 'im." Maylene smirked. "You girls are going to be at each other's throats, trying to get him to propose to you. The guy hasn't even had a proper date with any of us yet. So heck, I might as well date him while you're busy killing each other."

A growl could almost be heard from May. She calmed herself before she could say anything she would regret. "…Do you think this is why this power struggle is happening? Just because of Ash and Sato?"

"Since when _isn't he_ the center of things around here?" The fighter snickered. "No, but seriously, it's definitely one of the causes. The one with the most power in the end is supposedly going to be able to decide what Ash does with the rest of his life. Like some kind of trophy."

"So it's between Quinn and Leanne?"

"On one front, at least. There's more than one way to have power in this group." Maylene shrugged. "Take Anj for instance. She doesn't hold a shred of authority in our group – but whatever she says, Ash listens to. You have no idea how much this bothers the other girls."

May knew too well. Angie could always attain Ash's attention first and foremost. There were several reasons involved, including the facts that she was his closest friend of any of the females and seemed naturally attuned to his innermost conscious without the need of Empathic or Psychic abilities. But the reasons never made it easier for her to accept. _I've known Ash for far longer… Why does she get the special treatment?_

She suppressed those thoughts immediately. _No, Angie's a friend. And she really does deserve it._ That thought was barely honest, but she wanted it to be. Her mind pushed the subject away and tried to find another with more importance. "What are you going to do if something big does happen?" she asked to continue the subject.

Maylene raised her brow as if the answer was obvious. "…Fight?"

May laughed at her simple honesty.

"What? You got a better idea?"

…

"_No_, not really." the Coordinator concluded with an embarrassed giggle.

"It's what Team Ramie does: We fight. It's what we're good at. We know what's right, so we act on it. Go to war on it, if we have to. Questions and negotiations happen after the dust settles."

A soft smile formed on May's face. "…You know, even after all this time… After all the things we've been through and all the crap we've had to deal with? After all the miracles and genius things we've witnessed from our friends and allies? … I still think Team Ramie is the best team ever."

"You got that right." Maylene smacked the Coordinator's back.

"_Ow_…"

"Suck it up. Ramies don't whine."

"_Unless they're hungry._"

"Unless they're hungry."

* * *

Ritchie checked his pokédev again just to be sure. "Yeah, it's a quarter past noon."

Solana shook her head and sighed. "Already? Time flies. Can you pass me the plaster?"

"Uh…" Ritchie looked around his feet at the several buckets placed around him. Each was labeled with a different name and color. Though he knew what plaster was, none of them had the word plastered on any of them.

"_It's the one with the word 'Gypsum' on it."_

"…Ah, found it." He rested the bucket's handle against the end of the hook pole and raised it up the ladder tower. The Pokémon Ranger standing at the top step grabbed the plaster and waved back the 'ok' sign.

Solana pressed her hand against the boulder's surface one more time and pushed. It refused to move. Satisfied, she began on the plasterwork. She spoke into the microphone embedded into her mask, "Looks like we're almost done with this. Think you and I can have lunch over at their Mess Hall once I'm done?"

"_Definitely."_ her earpiece chimed.

"It's a date then." She smiled inside the mask.

"_Will that boulder really hold?"_

"It's going to have to. They don't have the right cement and materials to completely patch this up."

"_Really sorry you have to do it by yourself."_

"Don't worry about it, hun. You're helping plenty."

"_Yeah I know, but you know. I'm sorry I couldn't help you because I couldn't reach the boulder."_

Solana giggled. "It's okay, shortstuff. That's why you've got me. Anyways, I'm going to turn off the headset for a bit so I can finish this quickly."

"_I love you."_

"Love you too."

The two made kissing sounds into their microphones before switching them off. The Pokémon Ranger returned to her work on the boulder.

Having insufficient supplies to repair the ceiling they had blasted through, the Resistance members had resorted to covering the large hole with an even larger boulder. This was common practice for the Hearthome Branch Resistance, as building materials were hard to come by within the Empire ruled region. Knowing the trouble the soldiers had to go through in order to fix something that they had destroyed, Solana and Ritchie offered their help in labor.

It had taken a good portion of their morning to find a rock large enough to cover the hole completely. But thanks to Solana's Capture Styler and the Ground Pokémon who agreed to work with her, the effort to push it into position, and filling its edges with dirt and rubble, had taken only a fraction of the time it had been expected to take. However, involving pokémon within the effort had also discouraged the Resistance members – who still found themselves uneasy around Pokémon – from being more involved with the job. This suited the two Pokémon enthusiasts, who felt that they owed them the bulk of the work.

And by half past noon, the two had completed their repair of "Room R"'s ceiling.

"A job well done, if I do say so myself." Solana stretched her back as she looked up at her finished plasterwork.

"I'll say it with you: A job well done." Ritchie commented as he patted his partner's back. "Let's go get some grub. It'll be nice not to be the one cooking for a change."

"I doubt their food will be anything like yours, my little master chef."

Ritchie blushed. "Yeah, but it's always nice to have other people's cooking every now and then."

The two walked their way down the Corridor, following generic paintings on the wall that resembled a fork, knife, and spoon to find the Mess Hall. Resistance members that passed them by thanked them for their job with the ceiling – many had watched them work from a distance with relief. One less job for them. A few had also offered to guide them to their destination, but they refused, preferring to have their conversations without making others curious.

"I was thinking something…" Ritchie adjusted his cap and scratched at the hair underneath. "If building materials are rare for them because of the Rocket Empire, then how did they build this massive underground base?"

"Well, they would have to have done it before the Rocket Empire took over, I would think." Solana answered as she removed the red band around her forehead and allowed her hair to drop. She began to adjust it to a more fashionable aesthetic, attempting to hide the plaster stains on her face. Though the Pokémon Ranger had once been known to care only for her work and ignored trivial things such as fashion and looks, she had grown a slight interest in it within her time with Ritchie. She had grown to love the way her new boyfriend would fall silent if her hair and clothes were worn in certain ways.

"But that wouldn't really make much sense." Ritchie continued the discussion, pretending to not notice her clumsy tries at staying attractive, "I mean, they became the Resistance _after_ the Rocket Empire came into the picture. You know, to _resist_ them. It wouldn't make sense for them to build a Resistance base before they started to resist anyone." He added a small laugh in the end, in an effort to not sound contentious.

The Pokémon Trainer had always been known to be polite and respectful, but he had especially ensured that he gave Solana the extra care and respect that she deserved. Solana, after all, was still older than him. That differing fact would continue to surprise him time and again. For whatever reason that he didn't fully understand, Solana accepted his interest in a relationship despite their obvious generation distinction. And though he never wanted to know her only for her age, he still never wanted to disrespect or belittle her lifetime of experience and achievements. In that sense, she was still his obvious senior – and he treated her accordingly.

"Oh, I guess you're right!" Solana nodded as she looked at their surroundings in curiosity. "That _is_ strange. Well, the world _did_ restart. So this base could have stayed from the previous settings. Maybe they were just tricked into thinking they built it."

"I thought about that, but there's a flaw there: Everything the people have in this world, they have a very specific history and memory of it. Remember when we tried to explain to the elder that the mansion in Mod-Veilstone City used to be a Pokémon Gym?"

"Right, they pulled out building plans and even photographs of when it was first being built."

"So they'd have to have some solid evidence for this underground base too."

"Maybe they discovered it? As in, this might have been an old military bunker from a war long gone?"

"That's definitely a good theory."

They continued their discussion about the Hearthome Branch Resistance Base's history and how the region's memories, events, and histories were affected by the Rocket Empire's control of Arceus. The latter was one of their favorite topics to examine and consider while they travelled the changed Sinnoh region, or as they called it, "Mod-Sinnoh", short for 'Modified Sinnoh' due to the Empire's influence. In a way, it was the only topic worth discussing in their new environment.

Within their time together as a couple, Ritchie and Solana were inseparable: they slept, ate, and had done everything they could do together. And in that time, they had conversed non-stop about their own memories, events, and histories. The two had spoken often enough with one another that they had begun to run out of stories. Current events, curiosities, and pokémon were the only fields left that they could consistently pull subjects from. It never bothered or hindered them, however. They would always find something to chat about, almost to the point where they would endanger their covert missions through their incessant dialogues.

The two loved to talk. In their journeys before becoming grouped into Ash and company's implausible mission to save the world, the two were solitary travelers. Other than the accompaniment of their pokémon and the few people they met along the way – they had spent their time sleeping, eating, camping, relaxing, and hobby-making in quiet isolation. Because of this, they had a lot to say to anyone that would listen – and they found the perfect audience in each other.

"– then if you consider that this portion of the underground base is actually getting near the base of Mt. Coronet –" Ritchie was busy reasoning with another conjecture when Solana, for little cause other than catching sight of the Trainer's eyes, reached her hand towards his. Their fingers embraced. "Ah…"

Ritchie stopped talking. They both stopped talking. Only their smiles and shied glances continued to speak.

For the two that had an infinite number of things to say, there was nothing left to say. Their minds became silent as their hearts grew loud within the moment. Their surroundings were hardly romantic or magical, but for them, the only realm of reality that they needed to fall in love with one another all over again was within each other's ey– "Rich! Haven't seen you in forever we should catch up _yadda yadda yadda_ – Okay so, don't look directly at her, but I just met this absolutely gorgeous woman. She's over at the corner to my left. No wait, my right. Do you see her? The one with the kind of dark skin and really bright eyes? Yeah? _Yeah you do!_ Anyways –"

Ritchie and Solana blinked at the intruder of their moment, Todd, and looked at one another. They shared a silent giggle.

"_Ritchieeee! Soolaaanaaa! The lovebirds! You guys are adorable!_" Maylene's voice called out from the other side of the Mess Hall.

"Oh, you two are so cute together!" The blond-haired Bianca appeared beside them, clapping her hands as if applauding them for simply existing. "I loved that dramatic entrance you two made when you saved us! It was soooo cool! How long did it take you two to come up with that?"

"Have any of you seen Angie? She left a while ago to find some beds but she hasn't co– Oh! Solana! Ritchie! I haven't seen you two in forever! They told me that we have the both of you to thank for rescuing us from that really troublesome situation. I would have given my thanks sooner, but I was… well, indisposed, I suppose." Anabel walked towards them with an awkward laugh.

The two looked around at their crowding friends and blushed at the growing attention.

"_Sorry…_" Ritchie whispered to Solana.

"_For what?_" she whispered back.

"_It looks like we're back in the drama ring…_"

Solana held back a laugh. "_Let's do our best to not get dragged into it then._"

"_Easier said than done._" He snickered back. "_I heard it's contagious._"

"_If I get sick, you'll have to cook me my favorite soup._"

* * *

The door thudded inwards.

…

It thudded again.

Within seconds, it began to shake violently. It suddenly stopped with another **thud**.

The door finally swung outwards, with an irritated Gary holding it open. "I told you it was a push, not a pull."

Ash and Misty walked out with embarrassed laughs. Pikachu followed after them, shaking his head. "Pika pika…"

The four walked out of the Conference Room with tired yawns and stretches. It had been a methodical and draining experience that took far longer than most of them expected. Checking his pokédev for a fourth time, Gary still couldn't believe that it was already late afternoon. _Our internal clocks are going to be disoriented down here…_

"ASH!" Dawn cheered loudly as she suddenly appeared by his side. After exhausting herself in her search for something to occupy her mind, she had given up and sat by the Conference Room's door in silence. She had been waiting for nearly two hours.

With the wait over, Dawn expressed her excitement to see Ash again, especially in his original form. Though she preferred Sato's more mature features, she always found Ash more approachable. With a hop forward, her arms swung wide for a hug. Before she could enclose them around the blind Trainer, Misty pulled him out of the way and let the blue-haired Coordinator grab open air. Dawn fell over from her failed attempt at an embrace. "_Oww._"

"How'd the negotiations go?" the question came from Tracey. He had asked without looking up from his sketching. Since he had left Todd to his own rants, the Sketch-Artist found quiet company with Dawn. Her silent presence was all that Tracey needed in order to continue his work. He never did enjoy sketching around strangers, who always had to ask what he was drawing every other minute. "Did we get anything good from it?" he asked, still not looking up.

"**VIP Café.**" Ash and Misty answered in elated unison.

Tracey finally glanced up from his work, with a look of disappointment. "Don't tell me that's all you negotiated for…"

Gary relieved him, "No. We also got rooms, access to all their supplies and information, as well as plans for direct contact with other Resistance groups within the next few days."

"That's a lot better! So, when you say _other_ Resistance groups…"

The Pokémon Researcher shook his head. "No, no sign of Operation Beta. They're not affiliated with any of the Resistance groups here in Sinnoh."

"Speaking of Resistance affiliation," Misty reentered the conversation, "We're allowed to join them on any of their missions and patrols. And if we can speed up their schedule, we can clear up room for our own operations."

"Meaning?" Dawn asked as she moved herself to a sitting position.

"Meaning we can start using some of the Resistance teams for our own goals."

"They trust us that much?"

"No, but we gave them info they won't be able to pay back in any other way." Ash responded.

"They realized that what we're fighting for is something that concerns them as well." Gary added. "If they don't help us, they're only hindering themselves."

Tracey raised his pencil to ask a question. "How much of _what we're fighting for_ did you actually reveal?"

"As much as we could. Or rather, as much as we should. No reason to give them all the details."

"And speaking of details…" Ash turned to the left and moved his hand across the air as if he were patting something. "Go ahead and get Bianca for me, please."

Shifting into visibility, Latias nuzzled against Ash's hand before nodding in understanding. She spun and shot down the Corridor. Several Resistance members who caught sight of the Eon Pokémon rocketing towards them began running in panic.

"L-LATIAS WAS HERE?" Gary flinched.

"_I told you that wasn't me flicking your ear._" Ash pouted. He sensed around curiously and announced, "We should probably get everyone together. We'll be holding a meeting in about five minutes."

"_OH NO YOU DON'T!_"

"Anj?" Ash recoiled at the sound of the shout.

Around the corner-end of the opposite Corridor, a young woman appeared and began charging in their direction at a furious speed. Soldiers and guards jumped and rolled away from her path. Those who were clear from her sprint stopped and stared. Other than the obvious rage in her eyes, the feature that caught their attention was the large object behind her. An object that seemed completely out of place, even with the context behind it. A rope, tied to her chest and shoulders, dragged the surprising item to her momentum with little friction.

To have kept at her speed even with the burdening weight of the object showed the tomboy's determination. The determination to find her target. Ash saw her purpose as if it were her physical form. Flares of red, blacks, grays, and browns shot out from her moving energy. Its focus made him stand in confusion. _What did I do?_

Angie closed in, aiming straight for the blind Trainer. Misty casually pulled him away at the last second – which didn't seem to surprise the golden-eyed tomboy. Angie kicked to a stop and swung her elbow back, smashing it into the back of Ash's head. The addled male Empathic struggled for a few steps before falling over unconscious.

"A-ANJ?!" Gary flinched again.

Misty, Dawn, and Pikachu were ready to assault the tomboy for her sudden act of violence, but fell quiet in bafflement when their notice moved towards what she was dragging: a large mattress. More questions about the furniture piece filled their minds than their initial, infuriated arguments. Their questions were somewhat answered when Angie dragged Ash's inert body onto the mattress.

Angie wiped sweat off her forehead before explaining, "Ash hasn't been sleeping! NO MEETINGS! Not until we've all had some sleep! And if any of you have been skipping out on sleep, I can knock you out too!"

The others waved their hands to refuse her offer.

"Our room's at E-7." Misty informed matter-of-factly. She seemed to accept the tomboy's action after finding the purpose behind it. _I was just going to let him faint from talking too much… This works too. _"No beds set up there yet," she continued, "but they've sent a few people to get things ready for us."

"Room E-7, got it." Angie nodded. "Anyone seen Anabel? I need to knock her out too."

Tracey snickered at her casual tone of the rather violent intention. "I saw her heading towards the Mess Hall." he answered her.

"Perfect, I'll mess her up at the Mess Hall." The tomboy turned to leave. "You all better head off to E-7 to get some sleep! Otherwise…" She lifted her hand for them to see and cracked it.

They all nodded in understanding, as if she could notice their responses.

Dragging a rope-tied mattress that Ash was quietly 'sleeping' on, Angie disappeared around the corner, hunting for her next victim.

…

"Is it weird that I'm beginning to think this kind of behavior is normal?" Gary sighed.

"You haven't gotten used to it yet?" Misty shrugged.

"I think it makes us more interesting." Dawn laughed.

"Or insane. Which would explain how we've lasted this long as a team." Tracey snorted.

"Pika pi."


	6. Comfort

Sleep. It wasn't something she was used to. And though she desired it greatly, she could not relax her mind and body enough to obtain it. Rolling to one side after switching to another, she tried to find the perfect position to drown herself in comfort. Another shift and fumble in the sheets. Yet she could not find it. She couldn't remember what it was like to sleep naturally. Just another slide and turn of the pillow. But sleep never came.

She didn't need it.

Her body told her otherwise, her mind would blank out in protest. But she didn't need it. Because he was still awake. And as long as he was awake – she would be.

Ash Ketchum. The boy who dragged her back into his life no matter how many times she left it and moved forward. The young man she had given up everything for just to ensure he was safe. The man she travelled between changing realities with in an insane attempt to save the world.

He was still awake.

He looked as if he was sleeping, but his emotions still swirled in discomfort. Discomfort because the world still needed to be saved, discomfort because he wanted to make sure everyone was still safe, and discomfort because of how he seemed to drag everyone back into his life no matter how much he thought he had moved forward.

He was awake when everyone wanted him to sleep.

The others constantly worried for him – and their worries escalated when they had found out that he hadn't been sleeping for days, possibly weeks. He would argue that he was 'technically' getting sleep by switching places with his alternate self, Sato. But it was obvious that his body was not reacting well to the constant stress of being unrested. He needed sleep. And the others forced him to accept it.

The lilac Empathic Anabel needed sleep as well. She had been the one to reveal to the others that the blind Trainer had been refusing it. Though it was later found that Maylene had also known of his dangerous insomnia, Anabel had been the only one to have stayed awake with him. They forced her to sleep as well.

And so the two fell asleep. Or so the others thought.

The others thought a lot of things, but confusion and unknowns were often found within a group as large as theirs. Anabel actually had fallen asleep. She had fallen asleep almost instantly. In that, the group was correct in their assumptions. In all else, however, they were wrong.

The others had fallen asleep. Some snored, some talked, and some groaned in their sleep. The Ramies did most of the loud snoring, the Leannes did most of the talking and mumbling, the Farrons did most of the troubled groans, and the Mayas slept soundly.

All except for one.

She was still awake, because he was still awake.

Anabel had only stayed up for four and a half days – Misty counted. The Cerulean City Gym Leader hadn't slept for twelve. Twelve aching days; twelve sleepless nights. She would have gone insane if it weren't for her moments as Maya, when she would use the collective awareness as her opportunity to sleep. It was a lesson she learned from Ash. And with it, she stayed up, always watching over him and keeping him company.

And as long as he was awake, she would be. She couldn't rest until his heart found rest. It was a promise she made for him, a resolve she made for herself, and an understanding she had made for the both of them.

In a fashion, it was a bond.

Sabrina and Ash, as well as Quinn and Sato, had a special bond. A bond that allowed them to know and understand how the other was in thought, heart, body, and spirit without having to try to sense the other. It was instinctual; natural.

But the 'bond' between Ash and Misty had been formed from time and experience.

Ash had travelled far, met countless faces, and had been a part of hundreds of memories. Memories that were not with her. Faces she never knew. And places she has never heard of.

Despite that, he still treated her as the same Misty. _As if a day hasn't gone by since we first went our separate ways…_ It had made them familiar with one another in ways that the others could never be.

That familiarity became stronger after Ash had taught her how to 'read' his Empathy. She was no Empathic, but her learned ability to 'see' Ash's emotions through the connection found in his empathy was enough for her. Because he was the only one she wanted to speak with in this way. It was more than enough for the both of them. Because they were the only ones who needed to speak this way.

Misty may not have been able to read Ash's mind like the Psychic Sabrina, she may not have been able to read his deepest emotions like the Empathic Anabel, she may not have been able to understand him immediately like the summer friend Angie, she may not have been able to analyze his every move like the careful Bianca, and she may not have been able to speak to him through her fists like the fighter Maylene – but she could be there for him when he needed her. And he would constantly need her.

Ash, as strong as he made himself to be in order to lead their group, was still the boy from Pallet Town. At times he didn't know what he was doing or where he was going. In those times, he would look to others, others such as Sabrina or Casey, for guidance and help. And when he needed a comfort from the chaos, he would always vanish, most times with Angie. But when Ash faced any trouble, large or small, he could always count on Misty to look after him. For him, she would do anything – whether she liked it or not, with or without Maya.

The others could be everything for him, but there was only one who could promise to be 'just Misty'. The girl who hated his flaws because he never cared to fix them, the young woman who would insult him when he thought too highly of himself, and the woman who would remind him who he was whenever he would begin to lose sight of everything inside himself.

Misty was Ash's home. Not the one he preferred, but the one that he needed. She was his foundation and example when everything would begin to crumble and blur.

Within the worst of troubles of his life, he constantly needed to remember he was still just the boy from Pallet. She was that reminder.

And as long as he wouldn't sleep – she wouldn't. He needed her, whether he liked it or not. If he was left alone with his thoughts and emotions, he would lose himself completely. His guilt, his worries, his troubles, and his questions would all have taken him away if it weren't for her. Already he had lost his life because he had lost himself to what the world demanded from him.

She would never allow that again. Misty would stay. No matter how long.

_Misty, get some sleep._ Ash's emotions chimed in her chest. The familiar prick and tingle inside warmed her heart. She couldn't help but smile. That indescribable feeling was one of her main reasons to keep going, to keep awake, to stay.

_Only if you sleep._ Misty responded automatically. It had been the seventh time he had told her this night – and the forty-third time he had told since twelve days ago. She counted.

_I'll be fine. I mean it! We finally have a bed, and we have warm food to look forward to in the morning. I'll eventually fall asleep._

_So then I'll sleep once you fall asleep._

…

…

_I technically already did, you know._

_Fainting and being knocked out doesn't count. I can tell. Your chest feels heavy, your back is stiff, and don't even get me started with how your head and eyes feel. You need real sleep._

…_I can't._

Misty's eyes widened. It was the first time Ash had ever said that. Since the first night she had stayed awake with him, he would only respond with _'I'm fine'_s, _'I technically slept'_s, _'Once I'm done thinking'_s, and _'I will soon'_s. And on a rare occasion, he would explain his thoughts and feelings on something that had caused the strains in his heart and mind. But not once, never once, had he ever said _'I can't'_.

She sat up and gave him her full attention. _Why not?_

_Nightmares._

_Nightmares?_

Ash's 'sleeping' body nodded. She could barely make him out in the darkness, but their empathic connection gave her an instinctual idea of where he was. His body rustled in the blankets. He had rolled over and was 'staring' in her direction. The feeling that had come over him was _desperate_, _scared_, and _confused_. In that moment, he was just the boy from Pallet again, and he needed to see a familiar face.

_Since all of you saved me… Brought me back from the darkness, that is. I've been having nightmares. Every night since then. Every time Sato and I have fallen asleep at the same time. The same nightmare. We can't sleep anymore because of it._

_What happens in your nightmare?_ Misty was patiently waiting for his emotions to give a stronger reaction. She wanted to move to where he was and comfort him, but she needed him to ask for it.

_I remember when the darkness took you… I mean, Maya. When the darkness took Maya. The memory's so clear, and I feel every second of it. Every breath, every thought, every pain, and every emotion. It's as if it's happening all over again._

_Ash… I'm fine. See? Your Maya's still he–… ah, Maya's still here. _she corrected herself with an irritated blush.

_That's not all…_ Ash sighed. _I then remember when the darkness took me. And this time, I could see all of you fighting it. I hear voices. Not from you, but from the darkness. They're not real voices, not real sounds, but I can hear them. I can't understand it, but I can feel it taking me away. Everything I am, everything I was, going to be, everything. And then I start to forget. Things don't feel 'real' anymore. I can't remember anyone's names or even their faces – and I just start to disappear…_

There it was. The stronger emotion Misty was waiting for. Ash wanted her _to stay. To keep him company. To stay awake with him. So that the nightmares won't take him away again._

She would do more than stay awake with him this time.

Pushing herself off the bed, Misty walked around the other beds as quietly as she could. The cold metal of the bare floor stung at her feet. She moved quickly and finally found the bed Ash had chosen to 'sleep' in. Her eyes caught the form of Latias sleeping on the floor next to the mattress. Misty carefully climbed onto the frame, making sure she didn't disturb the latent pokémon.

Ash's emotions began to panic – he didn't expect her to have moved all the way from the other side of Room E-7, and he especially didn't expect her to crawl onto his bed. The blind Trainer has had his share of close moments and very physical events with the other females in his team, but Misty had always done something he never felt entirely comfortable with.

_Geez, it was just one time!_ she responded to his obvious emotions.

Before he could reply, Misty pulled him close and pressed his head against her shoulder.

…

It wasn't comfortable. They were both awkward in the position. But Ash's earlier fears and anxieties had dissipated considerably because of the gesture. _Th-Thanks…_

Misty didn't look his way. _Yeah…_

…

_Was that all there was to your nightmare?_ she asked.

…_No. There's always a third part…_

_What happens in it?_

_The darkness returns… and it calls out to me…_

* * *

The boat was moving. Faster and faster. So much so that the volcano in the distance seemed to shrink. He wasn't facing its direction, yet he knew what it looked like. All he could see now were the waves moving. Far too fast for his liking. It gave him a headache.

_Why am I on a boat? Wasn't I just eating at the beach? I was… But then the soldiers came. What soldiers? How did –_

No color.

No color; no black. Darker than darkness.

Ash was awake, and by himself. Sato had fallen asleep during the negotiations from the day before and had not woken up since. It was still his turn to take over. But he had – _fallen asleep?_

His body felt rested, relaxed, and repaired. His brain's thoughts and his heart's emotions felt clear and understandable. He no longer felt as if he was simply borrowing a body, but that he was an actual _part_ of it. And what had surprised him the most was the lack of anxiety or fear running through his senses.

Ash had fallen asleep – and he had no nightmares of the darkness.

He only had a strange dream that made little sense. _There was a talking sharpedo who wore a cowboy hat… And an army… They were looking for their house? _Memories of the ridiculous reality he had existed in just seconds before began to fade.

Yet he was still on the boat. It was still moving. He could not see where he was or why he was there – but he could still feel the waves rocking the boat back and forth.

As his logic tried to decipher what was occurring around him, his other senses began to wake up. That was when he heard footsteps. _Footsteps?_ And felt the pressure of something hard on his chest, something pressed against his back, and his legs dangling heavily in open air. _Wh-What the?_ His brain studied his position and orientation, along with the feeling of touch and the audio of sounds. It finally concluded that he wasn't on a boat. He wasn't even on the sea.

Someone was carrying him.

The idea alarmed him and his Empathy shot into life. It began to overclock as it searched into anything and everything around him. He could sense the swarm of emotions that were behind him and in front of them. Many of them strangers. Some of them familiar. And the one closest to him, carrying him, was certainly familiar. But his panic prevented him from seeing them clearly.

Breathing in; breathing out; Ash relaxed his senses and focused.

_It's Angie. _A large sigh of relief escaped his lips.

"You awake?" the tomboy's voice felt louder than it should have been. Ash realized that his weeks of no sleep had made him comparatively deaf while tired than when he was fully rested. Everything felt louder: sound, emotion, touch, and smell. And something smelled good.

"…_Food?_"

Angie laughed. "I asked you if you were awake, Ashy, not what you smelled."

"But that is food, _right?_" he groaned as his throat began to shake off the last of the sleeping dust. "_I'm starving._"

"Still not sure if you're awake. You could be sleep-talking. And sleep-talkers don't get food."

"I'm awake! I'm awake!"

"Good. Because I was getting tired of carrying you." Angie leaned to the side and helped Ash to find his sense of balance. "So what would you like?"

"Food…?"

"Well yeah, dummy, but what kind of food?"

Ash sniffed around. Everything around him smelled good. Especially the scruffy thing to his left.

"_S-_Stop sniffing my hair, you weirdo!" The tomboy shoved him off with a flare of shyness and embarrassment welling up inside her. "I'm not part of the menu!"

"Can you two hurry it up already? I'm starving!" a voice called out from behind. It was Todd's. There was someone next to him, but Ash didn't recognize them.

"Are you sure I can be here? It's so… _fancy_." the 'someone' commented as it looked around with a mix of hesitation and curiosity.

Ash wanted to ask who that person was, but something was vibrating against his head.

"_Helloooo?_ Ash?" Angie was knocking her knuckles on his skull. "I said what do you want?"

"Uhh – Oh! Um… What do they have?"

She sighed. "Nevermind, I'll just get you a little of everything." Her elbow nudged against his stomach. "Hold onto me if you don't know where you are."

"Don't know… where I am?" Ash turned his body in different directions. It took him a minute to realize he _didn't_ know where he was. The area smelled like food, but clean at the same time. The air tasted finer, felt crisper, but conditioned as well. And the emotions that floated around him felt lighter and happier than the areas he had been in before. "Where am I?" he finally asked.

In his time observing the area with childlike curiosity, Angie had moved forward a considerable amount. And he moved with her, which made him notice that he had subconsciously latched onto her elbow. Wherever they were, they were moving slowly – and with every step, he could smell more food pile onto a single spot to his left. His stomach growled loudly.

Angie held back a laugh. "Calm down, lion. We're almost at the end of the buffet."

"…End of the buffet?"

"We're in the VIP Café, by the way. Breakfast time."

"Breakfast…" Ash drooled. _Warm breakfast._ He hadn't had properly cooked food in weeks – ever since they had split Ritchie and Solana from their group. While many of the members in their team could cook in one way or another, none of them bothered to as long as they had their dried rations. Ritchie was the only one who cared enough to cook even when they had pre-prepared meals. Cooked food may have made them wait for far longer than their stomachs could bear, but the satisfaction and energy afterwards were more than worth it.

And now he had access to it again. _Warm food._ He wiped the drool from his lips. Warm food and sleep, two things he had been without for weeks – and now he had both. It was like heave– _Wait, sleep! I fell asleep with…_ "Hey Anj? Where's Mist?"

In the time it took him to recall older memories and finally ask the question, Angie had moved them to a table. It was a table for two. He could tell because of how the tomboy was helping him adjust to his chair. The chair was wooden, _or at least creaks like it_, and the table was covered in fabric, _or at least feels like fabric_. If he could see his surroundings, he would have no doubt that the area was decorated with fancy lighting and posh décor.

As if reacting to the thought, his eyesight began to return. The dry feeling where his scar wrapped around his eyes began to fade, and every single one of his senses felt doubled in sensitivity. Sato was awake, and was hungry too.

"_Oh, Misty._" Angie murmured while shoving food into her mouth. "She was still on your bed when I picked you up. Sleeping."

With Sato wide awake, Ash easily noticed the irritation in the tomboy's tone. _Envy _was also obviously spinning inside her chest. The expression on her face tried hard to hide it – and it did so poorly; her brows still furrowed. It wasn't a topic she wanted to talk about; the food being the only thing she wanted on her mind. But now that it was brought up, she couldn't stop thinking about it, and it made her more irritated.

Ash felt guilt, but was too distracted to change the subject or apologize. Sight was not something he was used to. After the accident that had taken his vision away, he had spent countless hours in countless situations to try to improve his other senses to be able to 'see' the world around him. It was a life and reality he had pushed himself to accept and understand. And just when he finally had – he was suddenly granted sight again from Sato's awakening.

He also knew that if it were not for Sato, adjusting to seeing with his eyes would have been a near impossible task. Depth, color, shade, orientation, visual differences, and etc would have been too much to accept again. But thanks to Sato, who only knew a life of vision, the adaptation was quick and painless.

The sudden renewal of his sight, however, still left him in stares whenever it would return.

Her dark gold eyes that would shine a mesmerizing yellow whenever light hit it. Her messed and dry, green hair that seemed to fit the shape of her personality. Her simplistic clothes – a simple jacket and t-shirt that had too many wrinkles – contrasting the extremely luxurious settings that surrounded her. Her light skin that turned slightly pink on her cheeks, showing slight stresses that she hadn't quite relaxed from yet. And her rough hands that did not show a hint that it belonged to a young woman, clumsily using the shined silverware provided. All of it – Ash was absorbing slowly as he was getting used to seeing again.

…

Angie had stopped eating; her fork and knife paused in mid-movement. She was staring at him staring at her. A slight flush of red took over her face as she cleared her throat and patted her mouth dry with the tablecloth. Her eyes moved away from his. "_S-_So, why was Mist sleeping in the same bed as you?"

The tomboy had unknowingly switched the very topic she wanted to avoid earlier, only so she could avoid the strange sensation she was feeling from looking at him.

"_Uh_…" Ash had no idea how to answer that question without lying. But he never liked lying to Angie – the two were always honest with one another, in everything. "I'd prefer to talk about it somewhere more private." the choice of words weren't his, they were Sato's. Unlike the others who 'unified' into their alternate personas, Sato and Ash spoke, thought, felt, and reacted at the same time. They were similar enough in several aspects that it was difficult to tell when one was more influential than the other. But Ash knew he wasn't quick or professional enough to have said those last words… _Not unless Sabrina was around, at least_.

His thoughts began to wander to Sabrina, wondering how she was and where she was at the moment. How they planned on getting into contact with her again was one of the main topics he was supposed to bring up on the group meeting. _Right, meeting! I still need to do the group meeting!_

Ash began to eat his food quickly – telling himself he needed the energy for the meet. _Though it didn't hurt that the food was absolutely delicious too._ Lost in his own thoughts, he closed his eyes as he ate.

"Er… What are you doing?"

Angie's voice caused him to open his eyes again. "O-Oh. _Eheh._ I like to eat good food with my eyes closed. Everything tastes better while I'm blind." he explained with an embarrassed laugh. It was an honest answer with solid, rational reasoning behind it, but he still could not help but feel silly. Closing one's eyes to make 'food taste better' was a childish action – even if true, he knew it was unacceptable and strange behavior in public settings.

But within that moment of rationalizing between him and Sato, Ash had almost forgotten Angie's natural understanding of his unusual habits and way of doing things. What others considered strange or immature in his actions, never alienated her. The tomboy hadn't even bothered to second-guess his logic: She closed her eyes as well and ate from her plate. With an endearing smile, Ash closed his eyes with her and scooped at his dish hungrily.

The two continued to blindly and messily eat from their plates – earning odd and disapproving glances from the other diners.

It didn't matter. Their food tasted absolutely delicious.

* * *

Leanne adjusted her glasses, pulling them slightly away so she could read the clipboard in her hand. After confirming what was written, she raised her hand and voice, "All in favor of rotating dual members for 'Thinker' duty?"

Eleven humans raised their hands. Four pokémon raised their paws.

"All in favor of just Ash doing 'Thinker' duty?" Leanne asked with an uncaring sigh. She didn't bother looking up at the only hand that was raised. "It's settled then. We'll all alternate in 'Thinker' duty at four to eight hour intervals starting at midnight."

Ash groaned in disappointment. He had been the one to bring up the task during the group meeting, yet it had been rejected by almost everyone. Everyone except Leanne, who couldn't offer her opinion while she was acting mediator. The rejections had then changed into a debate, then into a switch of plans, and then into a vote to choose the most favorable plan.

His plan did not stand a chance.

His original plan was to take the role of 'Thinker' himself. It wasn't a suggestion, it was a command. With Quinn's covert mission having no known conclusion or end, he had chosen himself as the person to wait for her in Hearthome City. It only made sense that he would be the one to do it, as he went beyond 'Thinker' status due to the bond he held with the Psychic. He was the perfect candidate, but the others refused him from the role. No one would dare leave him alone with himself after his weeks-long insomnia stunt. Especially for 'Thinker' duty.

'Thinker' duty was a phrase the group had made up for those who would act as a beacon for Sabrina and Quinn. The Psychics were known to disappear on their own without informing the others. Even if she had informed them, she would rarely give a solid answer to her objective or her return time. She would simply 'come back'; mission accomplished, lives saved, and benefits brought. No one ever questioned if she would come back – but many often feared on the 'how'.

The Psychics could vanish for hours, sometimes for an entire day – with no means of finding the group if they had to evacuate from their intended meeting point or default camps. This was inconvenient – for everyone. Even the Psychics could not track where the team would end up if there was too much mental interference in an area. And in the new world: mental interferences were everywhere.

To solve this problem, the group had created the role of 'Thinker'. 'Thinkers' would be any team member that would stay near an area where Sabrina or Quinn would search. They would normally remain hidden either entirely or within plain view – yet as long as they continued to think: the Psychics could find them. Hence, the name 'Thinker'. It was an effective strategy that had proved itself to be indispensable whenever either Psychic decided to run her solo missions.

Ash and Sato were the most effective 'Thinkers': Sabrina or Quinn would recognize his position immediately due to their bond. However, he was also the most problematic Thinker in the team: If either of the Psychics decided to run 'one more mission' after noticing that her bondmate was separated from the rest, the group would have to wait for far longer than needed or wanted.

It was for that reason that the others easily voted against his plan – and it was for that reason that they had enforced a two-team Thinker schedule. If Ash and Sato were the only ones available for Thinker duty, then he would have to be paired with someone who would ensure that he could not 'disappear' with the Psychics. Also, with their altered plan, everyone would get their own turns at 'Thinker' duty, ensuring that everyone in the group would get a proper sleep schedule. There was no negotiating this.

Ash's shoulders slacked in defeat. "_Moving on…_"

"Next item of business!" Leanne raised her voice. All forms of gossip and chatter were quieted immediately. "On the subject of Missions, Raids, and Patrols within the Resistance." She nodded towards Ash and took a step back.

"So… One of the other things we earned in our negotiations with the Bosses of the Resistance was access to their missions, raids, and patrols." the Pallet Town Trainer voiced towards his audience. Though his face was serious, his posture seemed awkward and uncomfortable. Even with Sato's help, Ash didn't feel as confident to be the one to give orders and news to the team… _without Sabrina's influence, that is. It used to be so easy back then…_ "We can help them out in any way we can – whether that means joining their squads and teams, giving them supplies and information, or running our own teams in there as their backup. However we want to help: we can, as long as we inform them what we plan on doing with their tasks within twenty-two hours of their mission start."

Todd was going to ask a question, Ash could feel it. He knew the exact question going to be given and the exact answer that went along with it. But he didn't interrupt the Photographer. He knew full well that Todd still held a vendetta against him. To interrupt would have only made the tension between them worse.

"So why's it twenty-two hours? Why not twenty-four?" And there was the question.

"They explained that it had something to do with an old tradition of theirs. Long and unnecessary story, but I can still tell it if you want."

He wasn't interested. "No thanks. Go on."

"The point of helping them isn't for charity's sake," Ash continued, "Though I would commend many of you if you see it that way. There is an actual benefit to this: The faster we can help them finish their missions and objectives, the more space we make open in their schedule. The more of the Resistance's schedule we free up, the more we can use their teams and squads for our own assigned missions."

Todd whistled, impressed.

"So if I wanted to, let's say, ask them to get a certain flavor of ice cream… Would they do that?" Maylene asked with humored curiosity.

"Well yeah… _I guess I never thought of it that way_, but yes!" Ash's mind wandered for a second. Sato's mind pushed it back to focus. "Anyways… With that in mind; the most immediate task available is their Patrol task for every morning and night – so if anyone wants to sign up for the ones tomorrow, it's best to go now."

Angie raised her hand. "What other things do they have?"

"There's a Scout task where they're trying to clean one of their maps of an underground tunnel under Mt. Coronet. That's in two days."

Tracey raised his pencil. "I've been meaning to ask… _And I know this is slightly unrelated, but_… Was this base and all its tunnels part of the Rocket tunnel system from back in our world?" The question caused several faces to turn his way – many were surprised that they themselves hadn't asked the question sooner.

Ash shrugged. "Possibly. It matches every description of a Rocket base and tunnel – but it has a different history for the people inside. Supposedly this was a bunker from a war fought a long time ago. Predates the Rocket Empire, apparently."

"CALLED IT!" Solana shouted excitedly. People's curious stares made her close her mouth quickly. Her face turned red in embarrassment.

The Sketch-Artist nodded to Ash. "That's all. Thanks."

"And lastly on the subject of Resistance missions." Leanne stepped forward, taking attention for the importance of the topic. "There will be a Raid on one of the Empire bases by the end of the week. Both Latias and BiBi have already volunteered to join this. If anyone else is interested in joining, please leave a note on my bag before the end of today." She stepped back and cleared her throat. Sweat crawled down her neck as her face turned slightly pink. It didn't take a genius to realize how pathetic the last part of her announcement had sounded. But Leanne didn't like talking to people outside of meetings and battle… Written letters and notes were the only comfortable options for her.

Ash gave a reassuring smile that only said _'You did good.'_ to her. He returned his attention to the crowd. "And finally, we each have our own missions outside of the Resistance volunteer works."

Grumbles and murmurs echoed lowly from the group. Sato calmed them by waving his hands.

"I know, _I know_, we all want more time to relax. It's our first time in a place with beds and cooked foods, _other than Ritchie and Solana_, in weeks. But we still have a world to save." The Trainer from Pallet felt silly for how casual he had sounded with the last statement. He ignored it and continued, "So for today… _Let's see…_ I'm going to need the Leannes and Misty to visit the Archive Room. We need extra maps of northern Sinnoh and an idea of how the other regions are doing under Empire control."

Before he could continue, he felt a familiar tug at his chest. _Am I going in there as their lackey or as their babysitter? _Misty questioned without a hint of amusement.

Ash made a sign with his left hand, casually and slightly hidden, that no one but the orange-haired girl noticed.

Misty nodded firmly, not needing anything else to be said. His hand had signed _'Spy'_.

May and Anabel looked between the two in suspicion. They heard the empathic question as clear as day, but couldn't catch the response. Suspicion grew when Ash moved forward with the meeting without speaking to them with his Empathy. Their curiosity should have been obvious for him to notice.

"Tracey? Todd? I get the feeling there's hidden passageways around this base. Whether they're trying to hide it from us or they haven't found it themselves doesn't matter – we could all use those passageways if they're really there."

The Sketch-Artist and Photographer both readied their tools of the trade for the task.

"Gary? We need to know what kind of weapons and equipment our Resistance friends are carrying. And not just the ones they put up on display."

"Don't trust them?" The Pokémon Researcher smirked.

Ash shook his head. "No, I trust them. I _trust_ them to hide something from us in case they think we're betraying them."

"Are we?"

"No, but we'll look like it a lot of times."

"Um…" Leanne shyly entered the conversation. "Shouldn't BiBi be a part of that mission?"

"We need a Sketch-Artist with a sharp mind in the Archive Room. Gary will be fine."

Leanne nodded with a blush, not expecting the compliment. Todd snickered at Tracey. Tracey ignored whatever he was about to say.

"Angie, Solana, and Ritchie?" Ash turned to regard the three to his right. "We need familiarity with the Resistance. Whatever it takes to get to know them and whatever it takes for them to get to know us – I need you three to figure it out and work on it."

"Er… You're asking me to socialize?" Angie scratched at her hair in discomfort. Though she was a friendly person with a brave mouth, she had always felt awkward at getting to know new people. Her forward personality and loud mouth would often get her involved in embarrassing rejections and unnerving conflicts.

"No, I think he's asking you to eavesdrop. You're pretty good at that." Maylene laughed.

"Maylene?"

The fighter stiffened and looked towards Ash. "Y-Yeah?" For a moment she had imagined that she was going to be berated for openly picking on the golden-eyed tomboy during a meeting. Ash had never done so, and he didn't seem the type to – especially since she was his senior. But she always feared that his position as the team's leader would eventually cause him to scold her for her unprofessional immaturity. A part of her wondered if she _wanted_ him to yell at her for once.

Thankfully, _and strangely disappointingly_, he didn't. "I need you to find out how they run their emergency drills and security checks."

"Like the hidden cameras around this room?"

Everyone looked around in panic.

"I already deactivated them." Ash assured.

"All of them?"

"All forty-six of them." he reassured.

Maylene clapped. "Nice! I only counted thirty-five."

He bowed childishly before he returned his mind to the job at hand. "Anabel? Dawn? We need you two to take care of our pokémon in this room. The Resistance members are uncomfortable with them walking with us."

Leanne was about to ask something…

"Every pokémon except for Latias. But she'll have to put on a disguise." Ash answered before a word left the Battle Analyst's mouth. "And if any of you are uncomfortable going out there by yourself, you can keep one poké ball on your person. But it _has_ to stay hidden." he answered Ritchie's question as well.

"Taking care of pokémon, got it, sir!" Dawn did a small salute. Ash flinched at her response, as she knew he would. It was a response that was too close to Casey's treatment of him – one that the blue-haired Coordinator found to be adorable… _As long as she isn't here, that is._

The final person to get a job stared at Ash in confusion. _What's my job, Ash?_

"And May, you're with me."

Misty and Dawn's eyes narrowed into daggers.

"We're going to visit the Bosses." Ash answered. "We have to see how they feel about our involvement with them so far. As well as respond to any further requests they have."

May nodded with a smile. She was glad to be involved in something so important. Gary, Misty, and Leanne wondered why they weren't included and were ready to ask.

Ash cut them off before they could, "Everyone else has their tasks already. All of them are important, so _please_ take them seriously and professionally. We may not be in harm's way anymore, but this is our first real chance to get our bearings. Any failures or misunderstandings will count against us in the long run. So focus. Everyone got it?"

They all confirmed with their own gestures and vocal responses.

"Radios?" Leanne questioned.

"Right! Radios." Sato's laugh chuckled through. "Radio silence unless if emergencies. If you hear two clicks, then we regroup in this room in twenty minutes. Three clicks is Mess Hall in twenty minutes. Four clicks is the Conference Room in twenty minutes."

"And if we can't make it there in twenty minutes?"

"Codeword: Testing." Ash answered. He looked around to make sure he didn't miss anyone. "Everyone clear?"

Once again they confirmed.

He waved towards Leanne. "Meeting adjourned!" she shouted.

Everyone snapped out of their game faces and began to wander around Room E-7. Some went to gather their things, others went to finish short conversations, and all else simply stalled and took their last comforting breaths before they had to get to work. The atmosphere became thick with busied noises and differing emotions. An atmosphere that almost distracted Ash from what he wanted to do before he got to work himself.

The male Trainer walked towards Pikachu and patted him on the head. "You take care of everyone here, okay, buddy?"

"Pika pi. Pi, pika pika."

"Yeah, I'll be fine. Don't worry!"

"Pika pika pii."

"It's not like we're spying on them. We're just making sure they don't try anything funny."

"Pika…"

"Yeah, I guess they are kind of the same thing." He laughed nervously. "But anyways, you get some rest and try to see if you can find anything else hidden in this room, okay?"

"Pii… Pi pika pii? Pika pi pika chu."

Ash sighed. "For the last time: No. You need to lay off that stuff, anyways."

Pikachu pouted and walked away.

"Oh come on, don't be like that! …Fine. I'll just see you later then."

"What was all that about?" May appeared behind Ash, looking over his shoulder.

The male Trainer turned and shrugged. "Pikachu wanted me to sneak him some ketchup."

May giggled. "_Cute_. But that's not what I asked."

"What do you mean?"

The Coordinator gave him a strange look. "You _know_ what I mean. Mr. Keeps Secrets With Misty. Don't think that I didn't catch that question she asked you."

"Yeah, and how he didn't answer." It was Anabel's turn to appear behind him. He turned and found her staring at him with arms crossed. She shared the same funny look as May. With the two young women blocking both his front and back, Ash felt trapped.

"L-Look, we all have important things to do, so –"

"That was about the power struggle, isn't it?" May voiced her suspicions out loud. "You think the Leannes might do something in the Archive Room?"

Anabel leaned and looked over Ash's shoulder. "Power struggle?"

The Coordinator lowered her voice, explaining, "_Leanne, or more specifically, BiBi has been slowly influencing the group in everything it does. But that's Quinn's, or more specifically, Sabrina's turf. So Ash here –_"

Ash planted his face into his palm. "Has Maylene been telling you about this? _I swear…_"

May blinked. "You mean it isn't true?"

"It's not that it isn't true…" he sighed. "You guys just make it sound so political."

"But it's still true, then?" Anabel frowned in disappointment. "And you're trying to keep our noses out of it."

"Actually, he's _been_ keeping our noses out of it." May corrected. "He's been doing this for a long time now."

"And yet Misty gets in on this little 'power struggle' business? You don't trust us, Ash?"

"It's not that I…" He raised his hands in surrender. "Look,_ just_… Both of you come with me."

The two female Empathics glanced at each other and then back at him.

"Dawn!" Ash called to the other side of the room, "Change of plans! I need both May and Anabel with me! Empathy business!"

"_I'll hold down the fort, sir!_"

He flinched again. "Th-Thanks!" After a quick wave, he turned back towards May and Anabel. "Alright, let's go… I'll explain when we get there."


	7. Self and Others

_How far is it from here?_

_Not too much further._

_You said that an hour ago!_

_I said that five minutes ago._

_Well it felt like an hour… Why are we even crawling through here? I thought we were supposed to visit the 'Bosses'. Or was that a lie?_

_It's not a lie. And I said I'd tell you when we get there._

_So how much further is it from here?_

Ash sighed. May had been asking him questions since they had first entered the vents. For the past half hour within the cramped spaces he had begun to _miss the old May._ _The quiet, shy, and respectful Coordinator who used to be more willing to trust his orders than question them._

_Hey! I can hear what you're feeling about me!_

_But that May was long gone. All that was left was a girl who had spent too much time with Angie and Maylene, learned their habits, and decided to keep only their bad ones. She had become shamelessly assertive, openly whiny, and stubbornly cynical._

_H-Hey! Th-That's not true!_

_The new Empathic Coordinator was far less compassionate, far more selfish, and –_ Ash's emotions halted. He began to snicker. May, on the other hand, was nearly crying.

_Th-That's… N-Not funny!_ She struck his leg angrily.

He was still holding back a chuckle. _Sorry, May. I didn't mean those things. That's just Sato's way of teasing you._

_And you wonder why I've got a problem with him._ She huffed. _How would he like it if I insulted his personality and attitude? Oh that Aura Guardian Sato loves to sleep half the time we're in trouble. He likes to shove around his authority and pretend like he knows everything, despite him being a relic from a past that doesn't even influence or change the present he finds himself trapped in. He's always a big jerk to the girl named May, even though she means no real offense to him – she just finds him as a stranger she just has to get to know. But overall, he doesn't give a very positive impression to those who want to get to know him before they pass judgment._

_Well, the Coordinator May was a strange piece of Sato's friend Ramie, yet she couldn't seem to take a harsh joke like the old Fighter could. Not only that, but she seemed far more concerned with her looks and figure that she'd spend nearly two hours in the bathroom trying to cover her bruises with make-up than patching it with the ointments and creams they need to heal cleanly._

_And the Aura Guardian Sato was an arrogant alter ego of the much kinder and more understanding Ash. He believed his past experiences with Ramie, Maya, Quinn, Leanne, and Farron automatically made him familiar with their separated wish-versions – when in reality, they were each different persons who had existed and grew in lives that involved Ash, not him. So he had no reason to be so expectant of kindness and respect from them._

_Yet the Coordinator May –_

_QUIET! BOTH OF YOU!_ Anabel sent a powerful wave of emotions in their direction. Loud **creak**s and **thud**s of impacted metal echoed down the small crawl space as the two arguing Empathics slumped and fumbled from pain. _You two should be ashamed of yourselves. Act your age! Especially you, Sato! I expected more from you._

…

_At least Anabel acts like Maya._ Sato added with a snicker.

_Shush! You're going to get us in trouble again! _May punched his leg again. _Why don't you go switch to just Ash or something? I don't like talking to you. It's too dark in here to see anyways. We don't need your sight._

_Okay, okay. I enjoy talking to you, though._

_Switch already!_

_Bossy, bossy._ The barely visible shadow in front of May began to shrink in size. Within seconds, the atmosphere felt different. May suddenly felt less irritated, and even Anabel felt calmer. Ash was back by himself. No Sato. No combination. The way they had preferred it. _I didn't mean those things, by the way…_

_I know, Ash._ May smiled. Whenever it was just Ash, she couldn't help but smile. Though she had changed drastically from her time spent as Ramie and with the other Ramies, she was still the same May to Ash. Hints of stronger confidence, playfulness, and aggression still remained from all her experiences as Ramie, but there was no denying that she was still 'just May' to her Ash. _You'd never say those kinds of things to me._ she said to him with her Empathy. _That Sato's just a jerk._

_He didn't meant it either, though. He just likes teasing you. You remind him more of Ramie when you're angry._

_Well tell him he's barking up the wrong tree. No Ramies here, just Mays._

_As much as I'd love to continue this enthralling discussion of Ramies and Mays all day long,_ Anabel interrupted the dialogue again, though in a far less threatening manner, _I have to ask a terrible question – How much further do we have to go?_

_We're already here._ Ash answered.

_Here? But I still can't see a thing!_

The two female Empathics began to hear a hand patting against the metal surfaces. Ash was trying to find something in the dark. _Here we are…_

**Clunk.** Light filtered into the vent, nearly blinding those who could still see.

_Ow… Give us a heads-up when you're about to do something like that, Ash. _Anabel wiped her eyes and fluttered her vision until she adjusted to the brightness.

Her eyes beginning to make sense of what she was seeing, the lilac-haired Empathic worked out blurred shapes of regal furniture and expensive curtains obscured by the thin grill lines of the vent. A faint smell of perfume wafted into their air. Whatever they were looking into was obviously luxurious – far more luxurious than the VIP Café they had visited this morning.

May crawled forward and peered through the gaps.

It was a beautiful room, similar to the ones seen within mansions or dream magazines. Furniture with imported wood frames, hand-carved to feature pokémon within its etched designs, and cushioned with fabrics that seemed far too kept to have ever been used. Lamps of intricate shapes and polished metals lit the room with a fairy-like glow – showing off its custom light bulbs that had likely cost more to replace than it was to purchase the lamps themselves. Bits and bobbles covered in gold and precious gems decorated the shined flat surfaces, with each perfectly positioned to shine stunningly under the lamp glow and reflect mystifyingly against every mirrored surface. Then there was the marbled floor of foreign origins, with the rugs of exotic comforts, and the dressers and closets, and wallpaper, and…

Each luxurious item in the room seemed to be more luxurious than the other, as if they were competing for the attention of its viewers. They all were too much, yet never reached the point of gaudy or pompous. It was an impressive feat that only revealed that an experienced, and more than likely ridiculously expensive, designer was hired to oversee the setting of the room. If one cared greatly for showing off opulence and lavishness, the money had been well spent.

For the two female Empathics, however, it was a sickening sight.

None of the other rooms within the Hearthome Resistance Branch Base matched this room in extravagance – not even the VIP Café, which they had all originally believed to be the pinnacle of luxury for the Resistance. Yet here was a room which went above and beyond those expectations. While the soldiers and guards of the Resistance struggled to keep warm in their thin blankets and half-busted cots and mattresses, someone amongst them was living in a standard far higher than deserved. There was no equality to be found in this room – it only showed an obvious sense of extreme hierarchy; of monarchy. A hypocritical stain within the selfless beliefs and heroisms of the Sinnoh Resistance.

The sumptuous room's door opened. Three figures walked in. One of magenta hair and blue eyes – a female of strong and determined features. One of lavender hair and green eyes – a male that held an air of passive innocence. And one of cream fur and blue eyes – a pokémon that carried itself with pride and superiority. Each moved about the room at a leisurely pace. They held conversations that were jovial and revealing of each their personalities.

Anabel and May narrowed their eyes as they listened in.

Ash's hand quickly covered their view with a wave. It gestured towards his ears with an 'x-shape', then pointed at his chest. _Don't listen, feel._

The Coordinator pulled her bandana down over her eyes. She was still inexperienced with Empathy, and covering her eyes helped her to focus it. The Frontier Brain, however, needed no such aid. Her mind blanked and her 'heart' opened. With both their emotional awareness at their control, they began to 'hear' what they couldn't hear before.

_Oh brudda'… I dunn' know how we gonna' pull dis' off…_ Meowth sighed as he stretched his back. He was smiling at his comfort, but his heart said otherwise. _Wut shud we do? We'z can't beat da' Boss… C'n we? … … Oh Boss… I used ta' be willin' ta' do anyfin' fer ya'… But dat was b'for. Ya' ain't da' boss of me 'nymor. I'z mah own Boss now. … But doez dat mean much if we'z jes' a boss of losers? … Do I jes' bow back down ta' him jes' cuz he'z da' real deal?_

His paw ran across the lush rug that marked his favorite spot of the room. _Runnin' an Empire. Rulin' da' woild. Everytin' Team Rocket eva' wanted an' mor. … But dis'? A Boss fightin' fer a cause? Fightin' fer da' people? Da' way they look up ta' me?_

_I tink I like dis' mor. People resp'ct me! People do stuff fer me cuz they want ta'! Cuz they'z know I'm der' hero! Not jes' cuz I tell dem' to…_

_But c'n I really face da' Boss? Da' people wants me ta' take 'im down. But c'n I? … We'z still a buncha' losers. Buncha' zero'z facin' aces. Like always._ He sighed again, trying to keep his confident smile. "Did'ja see da' look on Hula's face afta' we gave 'er dat medal? She practic'ly drop'd 'er jaw! Prolly want'd ta' kiss owa' feet!"

"Hula's a good soldier. We need more like her." James said as he folded his coat with great care. He moved to Jessie's side and removed her coat for her. "Here, let me get that for you, dear."

Jessie nodded in appreciation. "Don't you dare fold it, James. I don't like the creases it makes."

"Of course, dear." James smiled and searched for a hanger in the closet. His hand froze in mid-search. _Dear…_

…_We're not married in that world, are we?_ He looked down, misty-eyed. His thoughts began to drift on the deep meanings within the word 'dear'. A lifetime of memories flowed in his mind's eyes, causing him to frown as he worked with the coat in his hands. _Does that mean if we beat our old Boss, everything will change? … As if none of this mattered? Never married? Never loved? … I wonder if you truly want that… You haven't said 'no' to the twerps yet. You haven't kicked them out. You haven't made any plans or deals with them to make sure that some things don't change… Is it because I'm not worth it to you? Is changing our future more important to you than moving on with what we have now?_

His hands subconsciously found the hanger and he began to place the coat around it carefully. _It's because I'm a failure, isn't it? I could never do anything right… Always disappointing you. … But I'd do anything for you, Jess. That's what made me different from the others. That's why you chose me. I would never question – never hesitate – I'd be there, ready for anything. And even though I don't want to lose what we are to each other now: If you told me to, I'd end the Boss' Empire single-handedly. … I'd do anything for you… Give up everything for you. But would you do the same for me…?_

The fierce-eyed female flopped back onto the over-sized bed and yawned. "We should have promoted the poor girl. Having to work under Gunner must be a nightmare for her."

"Gunna' ain't dat' bad once ya' git ta' know 'im!" Meowth responded blissfully as he played with a nearby pillow.

"Ugh… Why would you ever want to get to know Gunner?" Jessie shivered. "The man gives me the creeps. Remind me why we let him into the Resistance again?"

"Fiercely loyal to the cause, dear." James answered. "Most loyal Resistance member you'll find in the Hearthome Branch."

"Loyal, huh?" Jessie frowned. Her heart soon felt heavy and depressed. Visions of a past that had never occurred haunted her thoughts, as they had been for several hours since their meeting. With each passing moment, she began to remember more and more. And regret grew with every 'more'. _There was a time when I'd do anything for Team Rocket. Team Rocket was my life, my love. It was everything I was, everything I became, and everything I aspired to be. Nowhere else in life could I find solid ground… One failed job after the other… One failed relationship after the other… But Team Rocket was perfect for me. Sure it had its ups and downs, but when it came down to it – it never let me go. Not like the others…_

_And that's where my heart was, my loyalty was. In Team Rocket._ "…to protect the world from devastation…"

"Did you say something, dear?"

Jessie stiffened. "N-No. Just some weird lyrics stuck in my head." She sighed. _Team Rocket meant everything to me… And now I have a chance to go back. And they're an Empire now! Imagine the luxury and power they can give me…_

…

_But they let me go. …I remember, during our fight with an Empire cell in Pastoria City. Those two Empire commanders that nearly got us… They were Butch and Cassidy in the past life. If they got to stay in the Rocket Empire after the change the Boss made to this world, then that means they could have done the same for us three. …but he didn't. They didn't. They let me go. The only thing in my life that I thought would always be a part of me, left me…_

She sat up and stared at James and Meowth. _Now it's just these two. No matter where I end up, how far I drop, or how low I go… they've stayed. They've kept me. Even though I yell and scream at them, they still listen to me. I don't deserve these two, but they're all I have left…_

Her eyes moved towards the treasures that decorated their lavish room. With each object, a different face, a different memory popped into her mind. _Salt and Pepper gave me that diamond doll for my birthday… Titan stole that golden music box from some Empire Ambassador and presented it to me just to say 'thank you'… And that Faberge Egg, Rash saved up all his paychecks just so he could buy that for me on our three-year anniversary as Bosses of the HBR…_

…_These two aren't the only ones I have left. I still have the Resistance._ Jessie smiled. _They're my men. My family. And whatever my family wants, they get… …The Boss is going give me what they want, even if I have to pry it out of his hands myself._

The three Bosses of the Hearthome Branch Resistance continued with their physical distractions and comforts, their minds and hearts moving to other concerns. Concerns that were not for the three that hid within an air vent just above them. _We're done._

Ash's emotional statement snapped the other two out of their concentration. The Coordinator May pulled back her bandana and blinked her eyes until they adjusted. Salon Maiden Anabel simply turned her heads towards Ash, her focus lessening and letting her other senses return to their original awareness. The two young females took their time in giving their full attention to the blind Empathic.

_So… Why did we have to see that?_ May finally asked. _What does that have to do with the power struggle?_

_And more importantly: What does it have to do with our mission?_ Anabel added.

With a careful push and lift, Ash closed the vent's grills without making a sound. He turned towards the girls, able to know where they were despite the pitch-black darkness. _It has everything to do with the mission. And that's why there is a power struggle._

* * *

"Room R". Large, unfurnished, and symbolic "Room R". Hundreds of soldiers and guards paced back and forth in the massive room, each going about their business. Patrols marched at a careful pace, holding a keen eye of their surroundings. Those running errands and tasks could be found sprinting down the Corridors. Carriers and cart-men rolled by others and called the rest to move out of their way. And those working none-of-the-aboves chatted and hobby'd in the open spaces for their free time. "Room R" was always busy like this – always live – always public. Yet this was exactly where Ash had chosen to hold a private conversation.

The three Empathics stood and leaned against a railing, staring at the busied floor from the heightened walkways. Passersby and casual strollers would glance in their direction as they would come across them. They were a curious sight. Three of the 'outsiders', standing passively, looking over their railings – heavy in thought, but never saying a word. Not a sound came from their mouths or movements. They simply stood and stared down at the wandering people below. Like gargoyles watching over a city.

And though they were as inanimate as the stone guardians, they were beyond sentient. Each member latently read through the emotional-thoughts of the people, below, behind, and around them. They didn't see them as a mass of faceless persons, but as individuals. An individual with their own story, their own life, and their own goals would walk by… filled with so much emotion and reasoning. The reality around them was the only one they knew – the only one they wanted to change or improve.

In their hearts: There was nothing before this. No alternate reality, past life, or other world.

That was the focus of the voiceless conversation that the three held.

_Whatever Team Rocket did to our world is done and permanent._ Ash spoke through his Empathy with a sense of solemn acceptance. _This isn't our world anymore. It's gone._

_What do you mean? Like how Sato restarted the universe with Arceus?_ May asked. Hesitation and anxiety filled her heart. She didn't like where the conversation had been heading.

_No. Restarting the universe did just that: It restarted the universe. Everything changed. Planets aren't where they used to be, regions are nowhere near where they were, and people were born with different faces and raised under different circumstances. Nothing was left of that world. The only thing that remained were the souls – something that couldn't be destroyed._

'_Except by the darkness'_ is what he wanted to say next – but he stopped the emotion from pulling itself out, frightened to think of it again.

He continued his explanation to the Coordinator, _What Team Rocket did here? They changed the history of the world._

_The history…_ Anabel's hands gripped tighter to the railings. _I had the feeling…_

Ash nodded. _So did Sabrina. It was one of the first things we talked about after that news broadcast we saw, while we were still on Battle Island. Team Rocket didn't make a false reality. They didn't blind or trick anyone. They just changed history – and everything else followed after that._

_So then, what Maya and Sato and the others went through…_

_No, that was different. Team Rapture was behind that. With Arceus under their control, Team Rapture brainwashed the world to believe anything they wanted. Team Rocket went one step further: They didn't make people believe what they wanted them to believe – they made people become what they wanted them to become. That way, no evidence or memories could be used against them: There are no evidences to go back to, no memories to rekindle. This life, this world, is different from the one we came from by history._

He smiled sadly. _That technically makes it so that none of us exist. Because the past that made us never happened._

_Wh-What? N-No!_ May was shaking. Her eyes were unfocused and panicked. The confidence and self-assurance she had gained as an Empathic were beginning to shatter. _I… I still remember everything! Everything that ever happened! My mom… My dad… Max… Everyone. Everything! So don't say that! I still remember it!_

_I'm sorry, May…_

_NO! DON'T SAY SORRY!_ The Coordinator jabbed her hands into her jacket, searching frantically for something. She pulled out an object: half of a pink ribbon, striped white, with an orange half-sun symbol as its centerpiece. _See?! The Terracotta Ribbon! I still have it! It happened! I have evidence right here! See?!_

_May…_

Tears began to run down her cheeks. _No, Ash! It happened! This… This is all just some lie that Team Rocket made! An illusion! We can change it back! We can!_

_Even if we did…_ Anabel held back her own tears, far too affected by the trembling despair inside the Coordinator. _It… It wouldn't be the same, May._

May turned towards her. _What do you mean? Of course it will be the same! It's Arceus! One command and poof! Everything will go back to normal! Right? Right?_

Anabel didn't answer her.

Ash did. _No, May. It won't. If we wish for this history to change back to ours, we'd be no different from Team Rocket._

_Wh-What do you mean?_

_We'd change history to our favor, and erase this one._

_That's fine! This one's a fake one anyways! This never really happened! Ours did!_

_But theirs did happen, May! This world, this history is just as real as ours! _Ash did his best to make his emotions assertive. In truth, he didn't want to be – he wanted to tell May that everything she believed was correct. He wanted to lie to her so that she wouldn't cry anymore. But he couldn't. _If we change history 'back' to ours, then all the people here will disappear…_

_No they won't! _The Coordinator refused to back down. _Souls remain the same! They might get a different body and a different life, but their souls stay! You said it yourself! BiBi said it herself!_

_And what she and I said is right._

_So then I'm right!_

_No, you're not. Souls can't be destroyed. But they can be split, they can be combined, and they can move on. … How would you… How would you like it if you stopped being May?_

Her eyes widened._ …What?_

_What if you were back to being just Ramie? Or if I just stayed as Sato?_

She froze. He knew. Ash knew. He knew something he shouldn't have known.

The Coordinator loved her teammates and was proud of being a granted wish from a powerful and strong woman like Ramie. But she saw herself as a completely different person from the Fighter. Her time spent as Ramie and with the Ramies only solidified that perspective. May was more than just 'a Ramie'. She was what Ramie wanted to be – a young woman who could take her only love's eyes away from the girl named Maya. It was in that sense that she had a slight aversion to being considered as just 'one of the Ramies'. And she hid that aversion from the others. No one was supposed to know that.

But Ash knew. It was obvious in his words.

She had no idea how he knew. She never openly felt those emotions around any Empathics or thought those thoughts around any Psychics within their team. The only way he could have figured it out… _is if he understands me on a deeper level than the others ever could._

A shy smile formed on her face. _I… wouldn't like that at all, Ash._ She had felt like she had just confessed her love for him. And it felt _relieving… comforting… amazing_. Ash knew her – even when she didn't want him to. Whatever consequences there were within the changed world no longer mattered to her: Because she knew that no matter how much the world changed, Ash still knew her – more than history could ever remember her as.

Anabel cleared her throat. Irritation spiked in her chest. _Glad you're feeling better, May. But this hasn't solved our previous questions: What does this have to do with our mission and how is a power struggle involved?_ Her eyes locked with Ash's blank eyes.

_Do you know what we even plan to do in our mission?_ he asked.

_Defeat the Rocket Empire._ she answered with a sense of obviousness, _And remove Arceus from their control._

_Then?_

_Then… Oh._ The Frontier Brain's eyes squinted in bafflement. _After knowing all of this… What __**are**__ we planning to do with Arceus?_

_Exactly._ Ash nodded. _After finding out all of this, we couldn't come to an agreement. That's why there's a power struggle._

_Who are 'we' and why wasn't everyone included in this discussion?_

'_We' were Sabrina, BiBi, and I._ he clarified. _And the reason why we didn't involve everyone is… Well, did you really want another Tracey-incident to happen? Or maybe another 'bomb-scenario'?_

Anabel and May stared down at their feet guiltily. The memory of them refusing to help Ash when he needed them the most was still a sore wound. And it had hurt twice as much because he was the one to say it this time. The blind Empathic never brought up that subject, never blamed them directly for it, but he did so now…

He did it to explain why he never told the rest of them. It was not an action he was proud of, but it was his most effective example to give. With any other answer, the two female Empathics would have felt his judgment to be half-excused and half-thought. But that terrible burden of a memory would cut through any of those doubts. It hurt terribly – but it worked. Sabrina would have been proud of him.

_I'm sorry._ Anabel finally said.

_Me too._ May apologized after her.

The two young women continued their depressed shame as they refused to look up at Ash – the one they had doubted when he needed their trust.

_And that's why._ Ash answered. _That's why I didn't tell anyone else. Because it would definitely cause a fracture in our group. That's why none of us said a thing to any of you. It would have been our decision – and our responsibility. We weren't going to let people's fears and anxieties choose the fate of anyone's lives anymore. It had to be done with logic, heart, and understanding._

_So how did BiBi get to learn all this?_ May dared to ask. _Did someone tell her?_

_No, she figured it out on her own. _Ash reached into his pocket and pulled out a marble of red and blue colors. He smiled as he felt it roll against his skin. _Remember what this used to be?_

May and Anabel glanced up immediately – there was no mistaking it. _**The Arceus Drop! **_they felt in unison. It was a surprising object to see for the two of them. An object that had changed their lives and fate when it was once covered in black, rather than its current colorful red and blue. Through guidance, lies, and visions, the Arceus Drop had pushed them to travel and fight through the insane journey that had brought them all together – that had brought them to face impossible odds to save the world – and that had left them lost and confused in the end of it all. It had brought them back together, but it had also tried to tear them apart. A trial that would reward them with the prize that they truly deserved.

But now they were here. On their own. With nothing more but more questions.

The Arceus Drop was no longer black – and it no longer held any real power. It had become inert. And with it rendered useless; They had no more guides – no more hints – no more lies to follow or believe. It was no longer of any use to them, but here it was again. Ash still held it. He hadn't shown it to anyone in so long, that many had believed that it had just vanished as mysteriously as it had first appeared. But that was a false hope. Ash was holding it out to them now.

Fears and concerns swirled inside the both of them. They were afraid they were being led through another wild goose chase around the world just to please the fates that hid themselves within the frightening marble.

_No, it's not working._

Anabel and May sighed loudly in relief.

_But BiBi's Drop still works._

Anabel and May stiffened in panic.

_Oh calm down you two._ Ash couldn't help but snicker at their terrified reactions. _BiBi's Arceus Drop doesn't guide like mine did. Hers just allows her to see the innate connections between things, remember?_

The two females nodded hesitantly.

_That's how she figured out what Team Rocket had done to the world._ he explained, _She talked it over with me, and I brought Sabrina in the discussion, since she already knew. And that's when the disagreements began._ Ash sighed.

_So… How did Misty find out?_ May dared to ask another dangerous question.

_I told her._

The two females' eyes narrowed angrily.

Ash raised his hands in defense. _Hey, she wouldn't leave me alone about it, okay? She noticed something was bothering me and she wouldn't let me go until I told her._

Anabel and May would have grown furious if they had no reason to feel ashamed. They were the real Empathics of the team; Misty was just one who could hear Ash's Empathy. Yet they never once caught his emotions being troubled by this subject. Old feelings of inadequacy to Misty, due to her having seniority in relations with Ash, floated back to the surface.

_Er…_ Ash felt awkward with the rather specific emotions that the two focused on. _But she's not involved in the power struggle, if that's what you're asking!_ he quickly brought up so that the mood in the air would change.

The Coordinator raised her brow. _Then why are you being all secretive about what she's doing for Leanne?_

_Because she's spying on her._

_And how does that make her NOT involved in the power struggle?!_ May fumed at the convenient contradiction.

_Because she's working for me._

That explanation didn't help her bubbling anger.

_Explain before she explodes, please._ Anabel sighed.

_I'm not in the power struggle. Only Sabrina and BiBi are._

_**What?**_ the two once again felt the same emotion in unison.

Ash pressed his elbows onto the railing and leaned his back against it. His shoulders seemed to relax, showing relief that he could finally explain. _Sabrina wants to stop the Rocket Empire, but only wants to release the world from their control – not return everything to the way things were. She doesn't think we have a right to change everyone's lives just because we've lost our own. In fact, she believes it's our duty to make sure no more lives are affected by those who can control Arceus __**because**__ of us having done the exact opposite in the past. After removing their control, we're supposed to make sure that no one else tries to capture it again – that no one abuses its powers ever again. A sort of repentance through duty._

_That sounds way too nice to be Sabrina._ May tilted her head in doubt. _Are you sure you aren't being biased towards her?_

Ash continued his explanation without being sidetracked, _BiBi, on the other hand, wants to stop the Rocket Empire, but then control Arceus so that we can bring back our world. She doesn't think that it was fair for us to lose our past and lives when we were the ones who fought hard to keep the world safe. In fact, she firmly believes that it's our past that makes it our job to remove any influence Team Rocket has left in this world. After using Arceus to change the world back, we're supposed to stop Team Rocket once and for all within our world. A sort of bringing things back to square one, so we could finish the job that we should've done in the first place._

_Bianca really thought that? _Anabel tapped her finger against her lip in curiosity. _That sounds a little too straightforward for her. Are you sure you're not mixing it up?_

_Trust me, I know what they want from all of this._ Ash sighed. _I had to stop them from killing each other on several occasions because of it._

_BiBi kill Sabrina? Can anyone really kill the Psychic? Especially someone like BiBi?_ May smiled in amusement. It was a strange little idea to see someone as quiet and reserved as the Bianca from Alto Mare to be able to do much to the 'Psychic Monster'.

_You'd be surprised what BiBi can pull off with enough time._ Ash sighed again. He showed no tone of exaggeration. _Anyways, so that's where the little 'power struggle' is. Two different takes on our mission – two different ways on handling it – two different paths we're being pushed to take. And they don't want anyone else involved in it._

_And where does that leave you and Misty?_ Anabel questioned.

_We do damage control. Make sure no one gets caught up in the crossfire._

_Not what I meant. Don't try to change the subject, Ash._

He groaned. _Fine, fine… Misty and I… We don't want anything to do with this._

May flinched. The term _'Misty and I'_ burned into her emotions like magma. She did her best to suppress her anger. _Wh-Why don't you want anything to do with it? Shouldn't you want to do something about it? I mean, that's why we fought so hard against Team Rocket in the first place, right? To do something about all the trouble Team Rocket's causing?_

_Oh no, we all want to stop the Rocket Empire! But we don't want to worry about what happens after that._

_And why not? _Anabel folded her arms. Her foot tapped quickly against the steel floor, leaving a vibrating hum that they could all feel through their bones. She was growing far too impatient with Ash's constant hesitation to answer the questions he was given – and she was letting him know it in every way possible.

_Because I'll be happy in whatever world I end up in. Just happy to lead whatever life I have to lead. But I just want all this trouble to stop. I don't care what happens after it – I'll find something, anything. I just want it to stop._ Ash's eyes began to regain its color, and his height seemed to change slightly. _I'm just tired… I feel like I've been living forever… Never getting any rest… I'd like to retire sometime, you know?_

The Frontier Brain frowned. Sato was back – and had appeared at the best time possible. Worst time for her. Perfect time for Ash. He was able to give a safe reply because of the Aura Guardian's influence. And the worst part of it all: It was an acceptable answer.

_So where does this leave Anabel and I?_ May asked. Anabel blinked in surprise – she hadn't thought of how this power struggle involved herself until the Coordinator mentioned it.

_I don't know…_ Ash shrugged. _When I planned on just bringing you along, I only needed you to help me make sure no one was watching me when I crawled into the vents. I was just supposed to crawl in there, find out how the 'Bosses' were doing, make sure they weren't planning anything against us, then just head back. I didn't really plan on… all this._

_Well, what do you want us to do?_

The male Trainer blinked at May. _What do you mean by that?_

_I agree with you, Ash. _she responded with an endearing smile. _I can be happy in any life as long as it's with you._

The two stared at each other with shocked eyes and pinked faces, neither of them believing what she had just 'said' to him. May panicked and was ready to take her 'words' back, but she realized it was already too late. All she could do was just continue her blank stare as she sank herself in her embarrassment.

Anabel rolled her eyes. Naturally she would have been venomously angry by the Coordinator's response if it weren't for the fact that May never followed through with any of her romantic pushes towards Ash. The Coordinator may have been the first of them to get a kiss from the Pallet boy, but she had never continued a relationship after that – despite her having every opportunity to do so. In that sense, the Frontier Brain concluded that May was just a harmless flirt with no real drive.

_Anyways,_ she snapped the two stunned Empathics back to reality with a push of her emotions, _What do you want us to do, Ash?_

_H-Huh?_ He shook his head as if he misheard something.

Anabel sighed and shrugged. _Honestly, I don't know which side I'd choose either. Both have their merits – and I know that siding with any of them is just going to cause an all-out war. So I'm siding with you._

Ash glanced between Anabel and May, surprised and confused at their responses. _What do you mean 'what do you want us to do'?_

_Give us a job! _May excitedly felt. _Like Misty! She gets to be a spy. What do we get?_

_Um…_

_And don't think you can just get away with keeping us out of this little power struggle, Ash._ Anabel smiled gently. _This is our chance to make it up to you. For… all the stupid stuff with the bomb at the Rocket base. We owe it to you._

The Coordinator nodded. _Definitely. We're in this together. Don't drop us without giving us that second chance._

…

A genuine smile spread on Ash's lips. _Thanks, you two…_

_Quit stalling and give us a job!_

* * *

"Got anything on your end?"

"A few here and there, but I have no idea how they open."

"Really? You've had luck then. I haven't found any on my side. Well, except for one. It's in a funny spot though."

"Funny spot?"

"Here, look." Todd reached into his pocket and pulled out a silver box.

After walking up to his side and peering down at the new object, Tracey realized that it wasn't a box, "Hey Todd, what's with the digital camera? I thought you were against those things."

Todd Snap, 'Photographer Extraordinaire', had been known in the previous world as a skilled freelance photographer whose works could be found in almost every form of papered media. From exclusive periodicals to public schoolbooks, his famous camera-captured images were well-known and highly sought-after. Collectors, businesses, and rich families had paid him a healthy sum for his services. And when a cause was worthy enough, he would offer his work for free – gaining even more popularity and publicity in the process.

Due to this 'Five Star Portfolio' and his young age, he was considered a prodigy within the world of photography. That reputation alone had made him become arrogant and picky over the years. And though some found his attitude to be problematic, no one could count it against him: His top-class talent was worth more than he bragged about, his prestige amongst the every class of the populace was nothing to scoff at, and his choosy nature had given him the perfect eye for angles and lighting effects that would force envy on any professional photographer.

That was what he was known for. That, and how much he hated digital cameras. His hateful rants of the devices, including built-in cameras in other electronics, could be considered as legendary as the Pokémon he had captured in perfect frames.

"Oh…" Todd didn't look Tracey in the eye. He continued shifting through the images on screen with single button taps. "Well it takes a while to develop my traditional photos. And seeing that this was a recon mission where we had to compare pictures, it only made sense to use a digital camera. I can show you what I saw immediately without having to make it to a darkroom."

The Sketch-Artist didn't seem convinced by his answer, but didn't bother pushing any further either. The last thing he wanted to do was get the Photographer ranting. "So where's the one you found?" he asked as he peered into the digital's screen.

"You're looking at it."

What Tracey was looking at was a photo of two guards giving charming poses for the camera. "Um…"

"_Don't focus on those two!_ Look what's behind them!" Todd's thumb pointed at the back wall of the image – tracing along a barely-visible line. "You see that?"

"Ah, now I'm seeing it. Do you have any better pictures of it?"

Several more pictures were shown – all different angles of the same two guards. Each photo had them giving different poses and smiles. And each photo had at least a portion of the faded line in the background. "…I couldn't really get a clear shot." Todd responded shamefully. "These two just wouldn't give me a chance to get any closer."

Tracey gave a small laugh. The idea that Todd Snap, 'Stealth Artist Extraordinaire', couldn't sneak by two simple guards was humorous to him.

Photography, hatred of digital cameras, and the art of stealth – all were skills that the team knew Todd by. It wasn't an easy task to hide from creatures that were often hyperaware of their surroundings; let alone tracking and getting the perfect shot of them. All these, Todd had perfected through his solo adventures in capturing rare and elusive Pokémon in photographs. Melting into the environment, instinctually knowing his target's next move, and finding every hint of another's presence within an area were all skills he had adapted through time and experience. And now they counted towards his assets as the team's scout.

_What did he used to call it?_ Tracey thought to himself. _Oh right, 'Immersion~'_ He laughed again.

"What's so funny?" Todd growled. He never liked being laughed at.

"Nothing. _Just…_ For a guy who could supposedly sneak his way past Sabrina, I find it a little ridiculous you couldn't sneak your way around two goofy guards."

The Photographer turned off his digital and pocketed it. He showed obvious offense in his expression, but kept his words cooled, "Hey, just because those two were being ridiculous for the photos, doesn't mean they weren't good. I gotta' hand it to the HBR: They know how to train their guards. And secondly, I didn't sneak past Sabrina – she walked by me without noticing me. Difference."

"Okay, noted." Tracey shrugged with a half-smile. "But why were those two posing for your pictures? Mocking you?"

"No. I just told them that I thought they'd look great in my album. Naturally they'd want the best shots of them." Todd sighed. "It was the only way I could take a picture of that hidden passage. Or at least, 'supposed' hidden passageway. Didn't get to see if it was hollow or not."

"How are you sure it wasn't just a weird indent on the wall? Corridor B has tons of those."

"Because those guards were there." Todd pointed out. "And there was nothing there for them to guard other than a small dead-end. They tried to fake that they were just hanging out there, but I've noticed them there this morning too. They're definitely guarding it."

The Sketch-Artist opened his sketchpad, _which he had cried over greatly when it was returned to him_, and flipped through its pages. "That's… odd."

"I think it should be odd if two people were guarding a wall, yeah."

"No, that's not it…" He continued to search through his pad's sections. "I've sketched several places that are definitely hidden passageways… but none of them were ever guarded."

"You think they didn't know about all those other ones? This base was someone else's base before, after all. With how large it is, I wouldn't be surprised if it took them a century to figure out all its secrets."

"That could be true, and I understand that. But even if that were the case: If they're guarding that hidden passage – then that means it must be really important."

"Aren't all hidden passages important?"

"You don't station guards near them, though. It makes the passages not-so-hidden."

Todd was finally intrigued with what the Sketch-Artist had to say. "What do you think is behind that door then?"

"Do you know if those guards were always there, or were they posted after we were no longer held as captives?"

"How the heck should I know? I wasn't exactly looking for these things while we were being chased around by men with guns yesterday. What does it matter, anyway?"

Tracey scratched his chin in interest. "It matters because if they were always there: Then that means they always expected an infiltrator to be looking for that passage. And if they only started guarding it now: Then that means they specifically don't want _us_ to find out what's inside."

"You think they know we're looking for secret tunnels?"

"Doubtful. But they might be afraid that we might have accidentally run into it."

"So what do we do about it?"

Tracey thought hard. Various options came through his mind, but none of them seemed like a good idea. He wasn't the best thinker in the team – that was Leanne's territory. And it was Leanne's judgment that he needed now. "For now? Nothing. We log it and report it when we're called back for a meeting. In the meantime, we can keep searching for more hidden passages. We might have missed some."

"I was hoping you'd suggest that we go grab a snack at the VIP Café… But hey, your ca–"

"TODDY BEAR!" Two arms sprouted from behind the Photographer's shoulders and quickly wrapped around his chest. A woman of olive skin and silvered-blue eyes appeared – wrestling Todd to the ground. "Gotcha'!" she shouted playfully.

"T-Toddy bear?" Tracey did his best to hold in his laugh. It was near impossible.

The soldier named Tonya looked up at the Sketch-Artist and smiled. "Hey Tracey!"

"Hey Tonya. Having fun with _'Toddy'_ there?" he snickered.

"It's not 'Toddy There', it's 'Toddy Bear'." she oddly corrected. Her fingers wrapped around the Photographer's – _whose face was flattened against the cold floor_ – head and pulled it up to face Tracey. "Toddy! Do that face that you do! The one that looks like a teddiursa!"

"N-Not now, Tonya." Todd laughed pathetically. His face was getting pulled in different directions by the excited soldier. "Tracey and I are on duty."

"Still?" she whined, "I haven't seen you since this morning! I've already finished my morning patrol and deliveries! When will you be done?"

"I'm sure Todd can take a short break." Tracey hummed. "I can cover for him."

The Photographer blinked at him. "H-Huh? You sure?"

"Oh definitely! Just keep your radio on." the Sketch-Artist replied with an amused grin. He began walking away. "I'll see you around… _Toddy Bear._"

Todd's voice echoed from a distance as he continued down the Corridor, _"You tell anyone that name and I'll strangle you!"_

Tracey laughed. The digital camera made sense now. Todd would never agree to even hold one… _unless he was trying to charm Tonya._

That was one more thing Todd Snap had been known for within the group: Being a flirt. Many had compared him to being a _'modern day Gary Oak'_ – referencing a time when the Pokémon Researcher used to surround himself with attractive women at all times.

Though Todd still held a strong affection for the baseball fan Casey, which only grew stronger with every rejection he was given by her, it never stopped him from attempting to woo any woman he had the slightest attraction to. It didn't matter what reality or world he existed in: If there were gorgeous women, he had to charm them in some way or another.

Many had also considered naming him as a _'modern day Brock'_ – referencing their former travelling partner who was known to flirt with every girl he met. However, unlike the ineffective Romeo from Pewter City, Todd Snap was actually successful at gaining several suitors with his charismatic stories, fascinating photographs, and smooth use of words.

He had left many women heartbroken within the towns and cities the group had visited along the way – always promising that _'one day he'd return after completing his life's work.'_ An obviously false promise, but one that kept the women from 'capturing' him before he continued his travels.

And though it had been quite some time since Todd had the opportunity to flirt with a woman who was not overly-suspicious of his team: His skills in this 'field of expertise' had not faltered by any drastic means. Less than twenty-four hours had passed, and already the soldier Tonya had become strongly attached to him.

_Leaving a woman with a gun heartbroken doesn't sound like a smart idea, though._ Tracey thought with a humored observation, _Let's hope his sneaking skills can save him from that._

Tracey walked on, following the walls of Corridor A. His mood was surprisingly light – opposing the slow fatigue that had been plaguing him for quite some time.

Unlike his flirtatious counterpart, the Sketch-Artist had never re-found his old stride in the new reality. He studied, sketched, and drew several things since the start of their renewed journey – he conversed, smiled, and genuinely laughed with others on many occasions – but at the end of it all, he always felt fatigued and unlike his original self.

The stresses of the new world were burdening him: Fears of enemies hiding in shadows, anxieties of making mistakes during crucial moments, strains from never getting proper comforts, and worst of all were the constant night terrors. Tracey could sleep, and he never felt the need to refuse himself from it like Ash and Sato, but he would be haunted by terrible nightmares every night. Nightmares he could never remember – but would continue living in his waking hours: Moving figures in the corners of his eyes, dark spots that seemed to crawl towards him, and a nagging feeling that something was sickeningly wrong. It was those stresses that fatigued the Sketch-Artist the most.

But now, as his eyes traced his surroundings in an effort to find unseen doorways, he felt astoundingly 'just fine'. He wasn't sure if it was the proper sleep and food, the safety of being surrounded by guards and soldiers who weren't out to capture or kill him, or simply the name _'Toddy Bear'_ that comforted him at this moment. Whatever it was, he was thankful for it. _At least now, _he thought,_ I might be able to enjoy my time he–_

_Movement to the left._

Tracey shot a glance to his left. Nothing was there. _Nothing was ever there. But something always was._

And just like that, the feeling of relaxation and ease left him. Tracey was back to living the constant nightmare that would drain him for as long as his eyes remained open. He was too frightened what he might see if he closed them for long enough, so he endured the exhaustion.

Only one thing ever stopped the feeling of dread in the air. And though he hated having to do it just to get rid of his own pains, he needed to do it now more than ever.

_I need to talk to Bianca… _


	8. Comparisons

"Uhm… Ms. Bibby?"

"Actually, it's 'BiBi'. And it's only a nickname." Bianca corrected the soldier that had run up to her. "How can I help you?"

The soldier nodded in apology. "One of your team members, a man named Tracey – I believe, is requesting to have a private meeting with you."

_Not this again._ Bianca sighed. "Thank you for telling me. I'll be taking a small break to meet with him then. Could you continue helping my companions with anything they need?"

"Of course, ma'am." With a salute, the nerve-wracked male soldier, _who never gave me his name_, marched off to find the two other 'outsiders' allowed inside the Archive Room.

Packing her notes and sketches from the table she was provided, the Bianca from Alto Mare readied herself for a long departure from the Archive. With everything folded and rolled into her bag, she weighed it with her hands. It was satisfyingly heavy; a sign of a hard day's work.

Her time in the Archive Room was a fascinating one. Not only did their collection contain everything her team had needed for any future travels and missions outside of the HBR area, but it also carried thousands of books, documents, photographs, and pieces of art.

The Archive was a literal one: It contained and protected the history of the Sinnoh region that the Rocket Empire had tried to destroy. Even with the power to change history, the Empire still could not silence the voices of expression and abundance of life that each region held. From lyrical masterpieces that were inspired from wars that never occurred in her world, to sculpted pieces of ancient civilizations that didn't last the test of time in her reality – each item was kept, documented, and treasured by the HBR. And the Archive was the only room to keep it safe. _Which explains the impressive amount of guards and patrols._

The experience was awe-inspiring, heartening. But also _'wrong'_.

Bianca felt sick to her stomach at how much history that the 'Empire' had destroyed by creating this one. And even with this one, they sought to wipe out the pieces they did not favor. They simply tore away the memories of the world, only to destroy the portions they still found 'unnecessary', clipping and trimming what they considered eyesores – _like a twisted form of bonsai art_.

The Alto Mare native felt for the people who had to suffer this torment. She truly did. But she also would never help their cause.

Their cause was from a rebellion towards an oppression created by the 'Empire'. Their spirit, their goals, and their memories were all invented from a choice that Team Rocket had created. In that sense, they themselves were the creations of Team Rocket. A tainted history – _no matter how courageous or commendable it had been_. And it had to be replaced. It had to return to what it used to be. Into the world that she had come from.

That was where her fascination with the Archive turned into a conviction: She _needed_ information on the Rocket Empire. Information that could defeat them, and could keep the Resistance distracted. If the Resistance of Sinnoh or any other regions were to find out the purpose of her mission: she would find a far more troublesome foe in the people. And in those goals of analysis and diversion, she succeeded: Her bag was full of maps and notes that Ash had asked for, but her pockets and sketchpad's pages were filled with the information needed to influence everyone involved in her plans. Admittedly, what she had were only concepts and theoretical calculations of what she truly needed – _but it was better than having no data at all_.

She could have used more time, and obviously more information… _But it isn't like BiBi to reject Tracey's request for a private meeting._

'_Meeting.' _Bianca thought with quotation marks. The private conferences she held with the Sketch-Artist were little more than casual talks and verbal pick-me-ups.

Tracey Sketchit, as far as Bianca cared to tell, was suffering from some form of posttraumatic stress disorder. He had been suffering from it since he first witnessed 'the darkness' in their failed mission to save Ash. His anxieties and fatigue had then skyrocketed after his return from the mission with Gary and Todd to become Farron. And though it had subsided since that event, it was still obviously affecting him. Whatever occurred in that mission had irritated his PTSD into becoming more permanent. Todd and Gary, however, showed no signs of PTSD or even acute stress response. This only solidified the fact that it was a problem that had to do with Tracey's coping mechanisms rather than a specific event.

Though she was well aware that something unusual happened in that mission in Sendoff Spring: None of the Farrons could recall how they had become Farron, despite everyone else in the other teams remembering their moments of 'unification' in great detail.

She theorized that since each counterpart to a past persona carries traits from the original, with the fact that in order to 'unify' each of the three had to unlock a key trait that would make them 'whole', that their lack of memory has something to do with Farron's own PTSD.

That was her _theory_, at least.

As much as the Bianca from Alto Mare had analyzed and studied everything she found useful or intriguing since her first recollection of being a part of the woman named 'Leanne', she also had a strong _disinterest_ in the Farrons. Strong enough that she would do her best to avoid becoming involved in their personal problems, even if it promised her the information she needed. Bianca was well aware that she was especially like this because Leanne had a relatable experience.

Farron and Leanne were close in the past. Though Farron was close with many women in his time, his relationship with Leanne was unique: They were partners. In battle, the Pokémon Master had depended heavily on the Pokémon Researcher's sharp, analytical mind to face armies of opponents with only his pokémon. Outside of battle, he had enjoyed her logical and practical outlook in conversation and hobby-sharing. The two worked and dawdled perfectly together. Alone, each was a threat and a valued asset. Together, they were unstoppable and incredible. And those facts weren't lost on Farron: He had approached Leanne several times for a more involving relationship. But she refused every time.

She loved Sato. And she wouldn't accept less.

And Bianca loved Ash. And she would not accept less.

Like Leanne, Bianca would keep a 'safe distance' from the interested Farron counterpart. She did not wish to give him the wrong signals. She cared greatly for Tracey; that much was true. But caring was as far as it went. Everything she did and thought, she dedicated to and reserved for Ash. Tracey was a good man, and was the only one of the Farrons that took the time to listen to her for more than just battle and mission plans. But the male Sketch-Artist did not have Ash's heart – the only thing she would sacrifice anything for.

And now Bianca had to _'meet'_ with Tracey again. To be his crutch; his booster; his cheer-me-up; his confidante; his friend. She was fine with that. He was indeed good company. And the action of comforting him added to her disguise as an innocent friend within the team. There was a benefit to it. Bianca never needed a benefit to be a good friend, but she needed it as a reason to keep 'meeting with an interested Farron'. _Otherwise, I'm only encouraging the poor guy…_

She took a deep breath and opened the door.

Tracey was waiting for her. A shy smile appeared on his face when he had caught sight of her. Bianca smiled back. _You're cute, Trace, but no thanks._ She closed the door behind her and began walking left, motioning him to follow her.

"You don't look too well." she said as she noticed his uncomforted posture, occasional glances to nothing in particular, and barely visible bags underneath his eyes. These qualities were not unusual for the Sketch-Artist to carry in the past weeks, but she realized that they had faded that very morning. It seemed something had spooked him into regaining those unwanted traits. "Did something happen?" she asked.

"Nothing really happened." Tracey's eyes moved slightly away and back. The slight twitch was usually a sign of a lie, but in his current condition it was near impossible to tell if that wasn't just an unintended reflex from his stress. "I was feeling fine, then poof, I'm back to tensing up." He forced a light laugh, attempting to show a normal reaction to the moment.

Bianca frowned. "I'm sorry to hear that…"

"It's okay… I'm just glad I could talk to you again." Tracey's shoulder relaxed. The trivial admittance was enough to calm his nerves by a significant level. Whatever shadows that hid within the corners of his mind and view began to dissipate with every word he shared with her. "So how's the information business going? The Archive Room turn up anything good?"

"Lots. We're definitely ready for anything the Rocket Empire throws our way. …Or at least, theoretically ready." She shrugged. "But it's definitely more than we had to start with."

"Any plans yet?"

"For?"

"You know, for a counterattack or an assault. No offense, but it seems all we've been doing is running, hiding, and defending."

"And information gathering." she added.

"That too." He gave a slight smile as if to apologize. "But that's a lot of information gathering and so little… _planning_ with it. I mean, the team doesn't even know if we're just trying to survive out here or actually planning to attack the Empire. Or where we'd even _start_ attacking in the Empire if we did plan on it."

"I know. I know." Bianca sighed. Looking at her feet, her plain emotion had become downcast. "_I just don't want to risk repeating what happened last time…_"

Tracey looked at her oddly. "But, um, wasn't that something _you_ planned?"

"What do you mean?"

"You didn't warn us what would happen to Ash because you knew that he might've made the same decision if he had known. That would make it so that you _wanted_ that to happen, right?"

A guilty smile formed on Bianca's face. "Whoops. You caught me there. I'm surprised you still remember that."

"How could I forget? It just showed how cunning you really were. We all kind of underestimated you before, but at that moment, you were holding all the cards! You carefully planned for anything so everything turned to your favor. The others were and still are a little scared about that, but I just think it's impressive. Honestly, it's not every day you find an artist who can use their left-brain that effectively."

_There he goes again with his compliments. That's sweet, Trace, but you're a little too aggressive with them for my taste._ "I just had to find something to contribute to the team. I didn't really have much else to offer, you know? They already have a great Sketch-Artist on their side."

Tracey blushed. "Thanks for the compliment. You're pretty good, too! I especially loved that –"

Bianca smiled and nodded in his direction, half-listening to his words. _That's it, keep talking…_ The Alto Mare native yearned for the _'meeting'_ to end. The only way she cared to know on how to end it was if she could calm Tracey's tension. And the best way she could calm his tensions was to let him express himself. In any subject, any opinion, or any story. Tracey had been rarely listened to within the team – _which may have contributed to his overall stress_ – and had always ended up happier and more satisfied after getting everything off of his chest. _…even if that everything is talking about me for a few minutes._

"So if it isn't only about trying to stop us from repeating an old 'mistake' – then why else have you been gathering so much information without making any real plans with them? …Unless you already have planned something, and just haven't told us?"

Bianca was suddenly torn away from her thoughts. Somewhere in the conversation while she had been pretending to listen, Tracey had returned the conversation to its previous concern. _Shoot. Now this conversation's going to last forever…_ "Even if I had something planned, if I haven't shared it yet, why would I tell you now?"

"O-Oh, I didn't mean it like that." The male Sketch-Artist waved his hands in apology. "I just thought that since you've got some data from the Archive Room that it'd only make sense that you finally bring a plan forward to the team. You know, to make it look like you just finished formulating it with all that data."

_A thought-out idea. But that's too obvious._ "We'll see when we have our meeting."

He nodded. "_So…_ …I can't help but notice that you look a lot better."

"Hm?"

"You look refreshed and awake. As opposed to how you've looked in the past few days."

"Good food and a good bed can work wonders."

"Definitely. I know that really calmed me down earlier. You know, before I started breaking down again." He laughed.

Bianca's eyes narrowed as she smirked. _Bingo._ Her face immediately returned to a friendly smile. "Looks like you're not broken anymore."

Tracey blinked in surprise. He quickly noticed that he was no longer shaking, no longer anxious of shadows, and no longer fearing that something was hiding from him in the corner of his view. A strange sense of controllable stability coursed through his body and mind. In that moment, he felt renewed and awake. "_I'm…_ I'm not?"

_Ten seconds._ That was all the time Alto Mare Bianca gave Tracey before he would suddenly return to a panicked and stressed state once again. The more he noticed that he was stable, the more he would become afraid that he really wasn't. She had to seal it now to make it last.

"No, you're not…" Her hand gently patted his arm. As he turned towards her, she gave him a sweet smile. "And I'm feeling better now, too. You got me to cool my head out here. Thanks for the talk, Tracey. I really appreciate it."

The male Sketch-Artist gave a slight blush and smiled at her in admiration. "Guess we just have to talk things out before we feel comfortable with ourselves, yeah?"

"Definitely." she answered softly. She had purposely used the first word he had just used a few sentences ago. _Familiarity, similarity, and the idea that there's a connection – all things that gets Tracey more distracted with happier memories than with his own worries._ Bianca answered her own analysis. She was not particularly proud of what she had just done, but she did hold a pride to how effective she was with her words.

Tracey's smile grew bigger. "Anyways, I think I should get back to my job. I don't know how long it's going to take for Ash to call us back for a meeting, but I should at least try to look busy, you know?"

"Sounds like a plan."

"I'll see you at the meeting, Bianca. It was great talking to you again."

"Same, Tracey!" she called out to him as he disappeared around a corner. She stared off for a few minutes, unmoving. After a considerable amount of time had passed, she turned slightly to her right. _"Did you get a good look through it while I was talking to him?"_

Blurring into view, a red and white form nodded.

"_You're the best, Latias. Sight Share it with me quickly."_

The Eon Pokémon's eyes lit up, causing the female Sketch-Artist's sight to haze. Linked into the mental memory of Latias, Bianca gained access to one more benefit she had by meeting with Tracey: The maps and drawings of the passageways hidden throughout the Resistance Base.

* * *

Emergency stairs, detoured routes, pressure gates, monthly drills, earthquake kits, blockade sections, fire repellants, guarded checkpoints, food and water reserves, backup generators, poison and radiation control, shock bunkers, surveillance maintenance, riot gear locations, network sweeps, surface cameras and sensors, information control and feeding, black market connections, physical training schedules, weapon checkups, quarantine rooms, and infiltrator protocols – all of the items that were of any useful concern to the Gym Leader from Veilstone City on the subject of _'emergency drills and security checks'_ – and all had been obtained by her.

She had spent her handful of mission hours speaking to and negotiating with soldiers, guards, officers, and commandos in order to slowly gather the hefty library of intelligence. Some shared their information immediately, some shooed her off, many handed her an old manual or pamphlet, others preferred to trade for information, and the rest casually admitted that they had no idea whatsoever. Whoever she talked to, however she approached them, whatever data she ended up with, and why they were willing to share them with her: Didn't matter to her; she got the job done.

All that mattered was that she got the job done. That the job was finished. Complete. Accomplished. Attained. Achieved.

…

She had nothing left to do.

Maylene groaned as she kicked her bare foot against a nearby crate. The thin steel box dented slightly from the hit and left a soft hum in the air. She pulled her foot back, focusing on the tingling feeling that continued to vibrate in her bones. As interesting the sensation was and as satisfying the kick had been: It only proved that Maylene was bored out of her mind.

Missions were always great for relieving any stresses and occupying the mind, but when there was nothing left to look forward to after they were accomplished: missions were nothing but busywork for the fighter. _Busywork._ Maylene hated busywork. Though she was a disciplined fighter and Gym Leader who abided by schedules, routines, and plans – she hated having to work with causes that had little to no effects. Everything she did had to have some form of benefit or accomplished event at the end of it all. Not out of want – but out of necessity.

The fighter had a terrible time at knowing what to do with 'spare time'. She had extremely few hobbies outside of fighting. There were sleeping and eating, _of course_, but she considered those to be luxuries rather than hobbies. In her eyes, luxuries were what one had when they had the time for them – and hobbies were what one did when they had nothing left to do. And she could enjoy neither of those definitions at the terribly dull moment.

Her mission was done, but a meeting could occur at any moment. It had been quite some time since their morning meet, so she assumed that the next one had to happen soon. She was looking forward to attending the next one, as it would be the sign that she was free to do as she pleased. But at the moment, she was not free.

She had considered signing up for some Resistance missions or patrols, but she had no idea how long the process would take. The last thing she would want is to stall the group's meeting for an extra hour or two because she had been caught up in paperwork or long lines.

She had considered having a few workouts in the Storm Room, but the room was on the other side of the base. Knowing her luck, she believed she would have found something or someone along the way that would require her full attention and effort – which would also stall any meetings for an uncomfortable amount of time.

She had considered bringing out Lucario from his poké ball and having a friendly chat or spar with him, to pass whatever time she had left… But the occasional passing of patrol units in the area negated that option completely. The people of the Resistance were understandably frightened of Pokémon, and Lucario seemed to especially frighten them due to his curiously humanoid shape. She did not want to cause discomfort and inconvenience to others just because she was bored.

She had also considered taking a nap or grabbing a snack just to pass the time, but she was afraid that those lovely luxuries would make her forget one of the details she had learned during her mission.

As part of her common habit with information-gathering: she never wrote anything down – she memorized everything in her head. Not only was it good practice for a keen mind, and not only did she not think that the next meeting would take so long to start, but she was also a terrible writer. Handwriting, she believed, were for the educated and cultured – and she did not consider herself either. To prove that belief, her own handwriting was poor and embarrassingly sloppy. She had no idea how Angie could read her writing when she herself could not figure out which language the messy scribbles on the page belonged to.

And with no writing, plus the possibility of forgetting something, neither napping nor snacking was an option for her – sad as that was for her to accept.

And now she had absolutely nothing to do. The information she had gathered meant little to her until the meeting began. Stress from both having to hold onto 'busywork data' and having no honest idea of what to do until that data became anything useful was driving her to agitated insanity. _It's like trying to find an opening in an opponent's unpredictable defense…_ she thought to herself as her mind slowly wandered… _You strike too soon, and you've left yourself wide open. You wait too long to strike, and you're just stuck blocking hits until your defense shatters._

Maylene struck at the air with a few slow rhythm punches, imagining an Empire soldier at the end of each attack. Her metaphor for fighting had unintentionally dragged her thoughts away from her own yearnings for a distraction. It didn't matter to her at this point – all that mattered was the opponent 'in front of her'.

A frown began to form as she found displeasure in her imaginary foe. Each punch hit its target and the target could not keep up a proper defense. She decided to switch the soldier with a large pokémon. _Maybe an arcanine… Yeah, an arcanine._

She smiled, finding the massive orange canine with black stripes forming into her false vision. A swift punch; a quick kick. Another frown. The beast was too fast, too sturdy. Each of her attacks was absorbed by the Legendary Pokémon's thick mane, and what blow hit an opening thudded off from its solid muscles. Her opponent was far too tough and needed unconventional tactics and angles to face. She didn't care for that – She wanted an enemy that she could stand toe-to-toe with. _A Hunter… Definitely more of a Hunter._

An average-looking civilian was next in line to be her fictional punching bag. They held a trusting smile and a casual demeanor… but there was something terribly wrong in their eyes; as if they could see into a victim's heart. The fighter did her best to remember the feeling of fear when she first met a Hunter in battle. Before she could properly muster the emotion, the 'Hunter' struck forward. She dodged, kicked downwards, only to find her kick to be swept aside. She was ready to spin on her heel and reengage, but her opponent disappeared. _No…_ The 'Hunter' had distracted Maylene long enough to aim for their real target: 'Anabel'. _No! I'm your opponent!_ Maylene vanished the vision from her mind – Hunters, she considered, were far too obsessed with their job description to be a proper training opponent.

May appeared as her new sparring partner. The mirage Coordinator narrowed her eyes, pretending to get herself ready for the fight. Maylene snickered. May's punch rocketed forward and… dissipated into smoke. Maylene hardly thought that the brown-haired Empathic was a serious enough threat to be considered an effective challenge. _No, I need someone more experienced…_

_Dom?_ The former Rocket Agent emerged from the shadows of her mind, giving her trademark arrogant laugh. Maylene threw away the thought immediately, pushing the imagined Domino back into her subconscious. While Domino was a tough, solid, and serious challenge – she was far too underhanded for Maylene's tastes. Whenever the blonde would realize she was about to lose, especially in something as simple as a friendly spar, she would begin to use weapons and tactics that threatened the life of her 'friendly opponent'. _That's never fun… I want to fight someone fun…_

A black and blue humanoid jackal swirled through the wall and got into stance. His teeth bared as he let out a threatening war shout. He faded quickly. _I said fun! Lucario may be a good fight, but he's way too predictable! The guy won't even know what unexpected looked like if it hit him in the face!_

'_I promised you a fight, didn't I?'_

The imagined voice made Maylene smile. An electrifying tingle of excitement buzzed throughout her body. Every muscle flexed and every bone solidified. This was the opponent she wanted to face. This was the threat – the challenge – and the unpredictable. This was the one who didn't let any of their weaknesses stop them. This was the adversary who deserved her every strike and attack. This was the partner she had yearned to spar with since they had promised each other one more fight. And she patiently and impatiently waited for that promise to be fulfilled.

Turning towards her dreamed foe, she shot a smirk in their direction. _What took you so long?_

'_Busy saving the world.'_ Ash laughed.

_Excuses, excuses. Put up those fists. I've been waiting for this._

'_OK.'_ he confirmed and returned her smirk. She loved it when he would do that. He had turned a strange, small phrase of hers into a familiar greeting. It spoke volumes to her. But only one thing spoke louder than anything he could have said to her…

The two of them charged at each other. The assault was foolish: The resulting clash would drastically leave the two of them open for any attack. One strike to the neck, stomach, or head – and the fight would end far too soon. _No, it won't. That's when it'll really begin. _An impossibly vicious grin spread on Maylene's lips. _COME ON!_

**-CHK-**

**-CHK-**

Ash evaporated from his fist to his back before he could land his blow.

Maylene's eyes widened. She swung her arm downwards and spun her attack into a stop.

…

No one was there. No one had ever been there.

She wasn't sparring with Ash. He wasn't fighting with her. They didn't miraculously make time for each other for one more brawl. And they would not find time for it anytime soon.

Maylene sighed.

She missed him. She missed fighting him. He was back from the realm of nothingness and void, but _'they'_ weren't back. Maylene and Ash, as they knew each other, had yet to return from those almost-forgotten memories. Before the other females had become involved with their team and their mission to save the world from the criminal organization she had once been a part of, it was just her, Ash, and Angie… _travelling, hiding, and hunting Rockets just so we could get Ash's mother and friends back._ And though that time had only been a few days in length – it had felt like a perfect moment in time. She would never forget everything she had felt for Ash when he first 'woke her up'.

The blind Trainer had somehow known that she had been suffering from stress and anxiety from her own simple guilts. Her worries were nothing in comparison to what he was feeling for his mother, her worries were nothing in comparison to what he was feeling for his pikachu, _for Misty, for Anabel…_ Yet he still took time away from his own small seconds of enjoyment just so that she could stop worrying and enjoy it with him. So that she could smile like he was smiling. And he had done so without speaking a word.

Ash spoke to her in a way that she didn't expect any human to understand: He spoke with his fists. Each strike, each kick, each slash, jab, and tackle spoke hundreds, if not thousands, of messages and meanings. He was hardly the best fighter there was – _but he fought with his heart and spirit._ And because of that, she could _understand him_ in a way she couldn't understand anyone else. They had become close through speaking in that 'language'. It would have taken years of frustrating experiences and confusing conversations in order to have translated everything that was understood within that one, stupid, reckless, and idiotic brawl.

And it was the most significant memory she had for any man she had met in her entire life.

But now that memory was just that: a memory. One that she would fantasize about in odd moments of the week. _Geez I sound like a creep._

Maylene shook her head. She tried hard to remember what had made her stop her shadowboxing. Her eyes moved towards the device attached loosely to her flared pants. "…Radio?" _…Oh! RIGHT! It made two clicking sounds! That means… I think that means Room E-7 in twenty minutes._

The fighter sighed and shrugged. _Well, I did want that meeting to happen sooner rather than later. I got what I asked for._ She turned and began walking down the Corridor, replaying the memories of her almost-fight. Though it was only imagined, the clash that had 'almost occurred' gave her a feeling of overwhelming excitement and anticipation.

_After the meeting, Ash…_

* * *

_Late to his own meeting…_ Gary watched as Ash Ketchum entered the doorway of Room E-7. His old 'rival' from Pallet Town stretched and yawned as he strolled casually into the opened space, flanked by two females: Anabel and May – both Empathics. _He's always bodyguarded, isn't he? I don't think I've ever seen him alone._ Several more figures walked, stumbled, jogged, and marched into the room behind him. Each had their own excuses of being late, and each approached the conference with a different emotion. Though most expressed relief.

Gary didn't pay attention to any of them. His eyes and concerns only followed Ash. It had been a while since any of them had the time to think and act casually without fearing the dangers that hounded them at every corner – and Gary decided to spend his first true free thought for the 'boy' he had once towered over. He only found interest in their current situation, which made him curious of everything that led up to it. And Ash was the origin of it all.

Gary Oak did not have the 'advantage' of Misty, May, Dawn, or Tracey when it came to getting to know Ash personally through travelling beside him for years at a time – and he never gained the 'opportunity' Angie and Maylene had found in learning more about him through being with him since the beginning of his most troublesome venture yet… But Gary had the unique perspective of knowing Ash Ketchum before any of them.

The two of them were childhood friends. Though in his opinion, that was an overstatement. The small town of Pallet had very little in terms of population; that included children. 'Becoming friends' was just another way of saying 'getting to know your neighbor'. Gary had 'friends', many 'friends', and only gained more over time – Ash was just his first. The raven-haired boy was naïve, dense, cowardly, hotheaded, stubborn, and too much of a crybaby for his tastes. In fact, the only thing that kept him vaguely interested in sticking by his side was their shared love for Pokémon and desire to become a Pokémon Champion. And in that, Gary was closer to succeeding than Ash ever could.

Ash was still naïve about several things, he was still dense as a rock on certain hints, he still looked like a coward, he was still easy to provoke, his stubbornness still got him into trouble he could not handle, and if he was still a crybaby – it wouldn't have been surprising news for him. But here he was: Ash Ketchum, the 'boy' that Fate seemed ridiculously infatuated with.

From all the stories he had heard, Ash had never rightfully earned several of his badges. Most of his victories were lucky, unintentional, or far too close for comfort. Gary, on the other hand, had won all of his battles with practiced skill and keen strategy. He trained, studied, and confidently faced his troubles and woes. He directly involved himself with large projects and organized events that would change the world. He gained everything from hard work and focused determination – not by luck. In almost every way, Gary was the superior. Yet it was Ash leading this team, not him.

Gary had even led his own team before all this… They were far more organized, far better trained, and extremely disciplined. They had contacts, equipment, pokémon, rations, maps, and clear goals. This team was a joke compared to his previous team.

But his previous team worked for this team. Everything that this team was involved in, his old team had to become involved in. Everything they concerned themselves with and concerned others with, were his old team's main objectives. And every enormous secret they had come across, his team had to decipher from a distance. Gary's team worked for Ash's team. In that sense, Gary worked for Ash. And now he was directly working under Ash… working within a band of misfits that were closer to killing each other than killing the enemy.

Each member had their own strengths, their own weaknesses. And each would have made effective squad leaders. In Gary's opinion, they should not have been working beside one another. But his opinion didn't matter. Because whether he liked it or not: the team worked. By some strange act of benevolence from the Cosmos: the team worked. And beyond effectively. They had discovered more, learned more, and won more valuable victories than Gary's old team had ever gained… and in a ridiculous short amount of time.

To say he was impressed would have been a lie. Gary was simply curious. The team should have failed in several areas. And when and where it had failed, the consequences should have stopped them in their tracks. Yet the team continued and thrived. For no reason more than Ash Ketchum.

Other than Sabrina, Maylene, and himself – none of the members would have been proactive in handling the situation Team Rocket had created. They had no reason to. _"Leave it to the authorities" _is what Gary imagined many of them would have agreed to… if it weren't for the fact that Ash was involved.

Ash was the reason any of this was happening – the mission, the team, and their current situation. If it were not for Team Rocket's concern with him, no one would have ever figured out the organization's plans for capturing Arceus. If it were not for each member's close connection with him, none within the group would have agreed to work together. And if it were not for how he pushed and pulled influence within the team, they would have never ended up where they were now. This would all have been an idiotic gamble that he would have never believed could succeed – if Gary wasn't there to witness the successes himself.

This wasn't his team, and he could see why: he wasn't Ash. The strange 'boy' that he used to look down on as a pathetic friend, was now the reason why everyone continued fighting even after they all technically lost. They, both friend and foe, saw him worth fighting for and against. It wasn't about being the best – it wasn't about being right – it was about…

Gary's eyes narrowed. He couldn't figure out why Ash was the center of everything.

By all aspects, it should have been about being the best – it should have been about being right. Even when he had heard that Ash could have been an Aura Guardian, he knew that explanation wasn't enough: Aura Guardians were closer to being Psychics and Empathics, not a clandestine group chosen by Fate to help and save others… _Right?_ The very idea seemed ridiculous, especially when he considered that Ash had refused training as an Aura Guardian. _Even if Sato is an Aura Guardian, the fact that Ash never pursued his role as an Aura Guardian should null that title's effect on the world entirely… Not that being an Aura Guardian really changes anything._

"Gary?"

"Hm?"

"What did you find on their equipment and weapons?"

Pulling out a surprisingly large file, barely held together by rubber bands, Gary placed it on the table and moved away. Several members walked forward and inspected its contents. From photographs, to documents, to handwritten notes, to even blueprints – Gary was thorough with his work. There was not a single weapon or object the Resistance could hide from his clean and careful work. And what he found gave him no pride for his accomplishment.

"They're mostly borrowed or stolen armaments." he added to his evidence. "They're heavily outgunned, outmanned, and outmatched by the Empire. Only thing they've got going for them is their hit and run tactics. They're a Resistance in every way: all they can do is resist."

"No fallback plans or secret arsenal?"

"Closest thing they've got in this base is a self-destruct weapon. Three-minute timer. Enough to collapse and fry everything on the inside without harming anything on the outside. Made for escape, not a kamikaze blow."

Satisfied with the answer, Leanne returned to looking through his collected data.

The meeting had been going on for some time. Lost in his own thoughts, time travelled much faster for Gary. He already skipped over a considerable amount of information and debates held by the others. Even when there were votes, he would only raise his vote with the majority. The meeting meant little to him. He already knew how it would turn out. Or rather, he knew how the majority of it would turn out.

Within Ash's team's held meetings, the same pattern would always occur: Ash or Sato would try to speak while every member was still excited to talk to one another in a group again. If they would not quiet down, Casey, Sabrina, Misty, or Anabel would silence them immediately. Ash or Sato would open up with something, followed by the Alto Mare Bianca _'BiBi'_ or Leanne sorting out the meeting's topics. Everyone would take turns giving their reports. A few personal jokes and jabs here and there. A heated debate or insult occurs. They find a medium ground to temporarily agree with one another. Then closing statements and final plans are announced, prepared, and given to everyone and-or each individual. And somewhere in there, Ash or Sato would have thought of a ridiculous idea that no one agreed with – but eventually follow through with whether or not they decided on it due to the fact that actions are rarely prohibited successfully within the group…

That was the typical song and dance of meetings in the team. It was basic, stripped down, and nowhere near efficient… but it got the job done.

The only thing that Gary paid attention to was the final statement. That was the only piece of their conferences that he could never predict. In his old team, conferences were quite the opposite: Everything up to the final decision was unpredictable – with the final decision being the only obvious solution left. Yet here, everything made sense until the end. He didn't like it – and for a while he had openly disagreed with it, but time and experience in the group only proved his disagreements to be foolish. Even though he was right: he ended up wrong. It had happened far too many times that he concluded that he should never bother with it anymore.

It wasn't his team, it was Ash's.

"To conclude," Gary's ears perked up as Leanne began her final statement, "We still do not know what we will or will not be able to do for the next couple of weeks, perhaps months. Despite the vast amounts of information we have gathered, it is still insubstantial for us to know where our fight focuses on initially against the Rocket Empire. The Quinns may be able to give us new intelligence that will push us in the right direction when they return – but we cannot count on that. For the moment, I suggest all of us put our efforts in helping, strengthening, and supporting the Hearthome Branch Resistance in any way we can."

The blond-haired Analyst looked towards Ash, silently asking for confirmation. Ash, _or perhaps Sato_, nodded to her.

"I suggest all of you get plenty of rest, and please feel free to go about your own schedule. We just ask that you do not hinder or harm the Resistance soldiers and guards in any way. We are their guests, after all. With that in mind… Our meeting is complete." Leanne nodded back to Ash, _or Sato_, and stepped back.

The individuals stood awkwardly for a few moments before each going in their own directions. Their movements and conversations were slowed and slightly uncertain. None of them seemed to know what to do with the conclusion they were given. Neither did Gary.

It wasn't the most surprising ending to a meeting he had ever witnessed, but it certainly wasn't what he had expected either. He, and he assumed many others, had thought that this conference would be the conference where Leanne, _or the brown-haired Bianca_, would reveal everything she had planned for the group – that tonight would be the first night where they knew what they were really doing with the Rocket Empire. But it wasn't. She had the perfect opportunity to disclose anything and everything to truly begin their journey within this meeting, but she didn't. And whatever evidence she had provided in supporting her standpoint of having _'insubstantial'_ information: she must have provided well – as no one seemed to ask her questions after the meeting, despite each of them showing discomfort and confusion.

_Leanne…_ Gary scratched his chin, bewildered. He could never figure out the Battle Analyst. Though he knew full well that no one could, he especially wondered why _he_ could not.

In personality, he believed himself to be the closest to Farron, the alter ego he would become when unified with Tracey and Todd. And BiBi, the Bianca from Alto Mare, was the closest to Leanne. Yet he could not figure out BiBi or Leanne as Farron or as Gary. Leanne and Farron were supposedly very close, and from his memories he could recall spending more time with Leanne than Sato ever did. _Then why can't I figure her out?_

Gary's eye caught Ash. His old 'rival' was chatting casually with Leanne. The Analyst seemed extraordinarily comfortable around him, and was even speaking in a louder volume than usual. More surprisingly, she was openly giggling and laughing as Ash did impressions of events that had occurred in the meeting. _He doesn't even look fazed by her last choice of words… How in the world can he be that familiar with her? The woman's leading and baiting our team to unknown means and ends, and he looks like he's fine with it. Does he really know what she's thinking? Or does he just not care?_

This sort of secrecy would have never lasted within Gary's previous team. No one would hide information from other members – nor would they attempt to lead the team to their own goals without having everyone agree to it. Yet Gary knew that if he had suppressed Leanne within that kind of environment, she would have never offered her best to the team. It was yet another reminder that this wasn't his team…

"Hey, uh, Gary?"

He turned, noticing the pink-eyed fighter named Maylene. She would have been an amazing addition to his old group, he considered. "Yes, Maylene?"

"Can I ask you a favor?"

"Favor?"

"Could you, maybe, cover for me for the 'Thinker' duty?" the fighter asked in an almost childishly shy manner. _That's odd… She's typically more forward and confident._

"Thinker duty?"

"Yeah. Me and Dawn are up for 'Thinkers' tonight. I was wondering if you could… maybe… just cover for me tonight? I'll take up your position when it's your turn, promise!"

Gary raised his brow. "You have something planned for tonight?" _Maybe a little spying on our little friends, the Leannes?_ he entertained the thought.

Maylene was a capable spy, _when she wanted to be, at least_. At best, he considered her as an effective one-woman commando, proficient in handling both stealth and combat situations with ease… which always surprised him due to her bright pink hair and rather frail shape. But she had demonstrated her capabilities on many accounts and missions. She had proven that she was gifted in facing unfair odds and difficult environments, using her own unique advantages.

Where Misty was capable of adapting to constantly changing conditions, where Sabrina was capable of handling large groups of enemies by herself, where Todd could make himself vanish into the scenery with little effort, and where Dominique was prepared for any mission given to her: Maylene was all of the above. She was noticeably not the best there was – Gary would bet that Arena Tycoon Greta could defeat her in a fight – but that's what made her the best. It was her lack of pure specialty that made her far more competent than the others in handling and adapting to any situation given or forced onto her.

A jack of all trades. A master of none. And expected of little.

_And if she's going to choose to spy tonight, then I doubt even the Leannes would see her coming…_

"I uh…" Maylene turned away, looking hesitant.

"Go ahead, Maylene." Gary said before the fighter could take back her request. "I'll take over for you. Just make sure you tell me how it goes." He winked.

She blinked at him in confusion. "…Uh, really? Er… Sure! Thanks Gary!" She slapped his arm jovially and ran off.

Gary rubbed at his arm in pain. His eyes followed the fighter in interest. _At least one of us is being proacti– _He nearly fell over from disappointment.

Maylene was pulling Ash by the elbow and dragging him away from his conversations.

…

'_If you can't stay focused on the mission – drop your relationship.'_ was another rule Gary heavily enforced in his old team. Though his previous team had two couples, _three if you count what Iris thought of us_, the relationships held were far more helpful to their mission focus. All 'relationships', _other than Ritchie and Solana's_, within Ash's team were _extremely_ hindering to the mission focus. This moment was a perfect example. _We really could've used a spy for the Leannes…_

Gary sighed. _Whatever, it's not my team…_

* * *

"Maylene –" Ash's sentence was cut short yet again as a fist rocketed towards his head. He dodged and parried the next attack.

"Stop talking already!" Maylene growled. "And get out of here Sato! This fight is between me and Ash!" Her following attack struck thin air.

"Maylene –" He tried one more time, only to be expectedly interrupted with another swing aimed at his chin.

She wasn't allowing him to talk. She hadn't been allowing him to talk since the beginning of the 'spar'. It was a 'spar' that he knew he owed her, but never had time for. They didn't have time then – they didn't have time now.

Just minutes after the meeting had concluded, Maylene had stolen Ash away from the rest of the group and relocated the both of them into a forgotten corner of Sector D. If it had been any other female within the team to elope with him, the action would have been a cause for worry. But as it was Maylene, the young woman who had shown little emotional interest in Ash, no one found immediate cause for alarm. It was common knowledge that Maylene wanted one thing and one thing only from Ash: A fight.

And a fight it had not been. Similar to the shadowboxing session the Gym Leader found herself lost in moments ago: None of her blows hit anything solid. Ash was moving too fast, faster than he should have been. _That's because this isn't Ash…_ Maylene frowned. She knew exactly who she was facing – and exactly who she couldn't even begin a fight with. _Sato…_

A light pain struck at her chest. Twisting, warped, and strange – it had felt like something inside her had fallen sick. The realization that it was the Aura Guardian in control of this fight – _No, control of Ash…_ – made her ill. It wasn't a feeling she recognized. _Am I…?_

Maylene halted her next assault and moved away quickly. Her eyes narrowed, eyeing her 'sparring partner' with a look of disgust and disappointment. In truth, she found herself excited at discovering Sato's capability as a fighter. But the fact that this was not 'his fight' suppressed those thoughts and emotions. Sato was intruding on a special event that was restricted from outsiders. No matter how she looked at it, Maylene could only feel that… _Sato was stealing something that was never meant for him._

Her eye twitched. She couldn't believe what she was thinking – feeling. But there was no denying what was being suggested. Somehow, somewhere along the way, within their frantic travels across the regions… Maylene had begun to consider herself and Ash _as an 'item'_. And this adverse reaction she was giving, were showing signs of defensiveness. _As if I'm stopping Sato from…_

She shook her head quickly and threw away the thought. This was unlike herself, she knew that well enough. And even stranger, she wasn't the only one that noticed.

"…Amy?" Sato blinked, having just seen a strange afterimage of a familiar red-haired Fighter standing in front of him. That wasn't possible: Neither May nor Angie were here to complete the 'union'. And it wasn't true: No one but Maylene stood in front of him now – and no one else had been standing in front of him just seconds ago. But he still could not throw off the idea that…

"G-Get out of here already, Sato! I just want Ash here for this!"

Maylene's sudden command threw Sato out of his thoughts. A tone of panic and frustration was heard from her voice, something that came rarely from the normally cool-headed fighter. Sato couldn't deny that he himself felt confusion from the moment. Rather than respect her demand out of respect for her, he followed it out of anxiety. He 'left'; disappearing into the subconscious of Ash – giving the young man full control of his rightful body.

"What in the world was that?" Ash groggily asked as he massaged his head. He was noticeably shorter now than in his 'unified' form. His raven hair lengthened slightly, opposing Sato's cleaner cut. And the now-trademark scar wrapped itself around his blank eyes. Ash was back to 'just himself', and the comparison to what he was just seconds ago made him seem far younger than he really was. A realization that helped Maylene find comfort in a bemused snicker.

"_I'm not really sure…_" she murmured as she coughed away her laugh, "But it's nice to have you back."

"Back? I didn't go anywhere."

"Well, I meant to have 'us' back. Back here. Um." The fighter's face turned an unnatural pink as she stumbled with her words. _What in the world is going on with me?_ "We haven't really had time to just talk. The two of us. That is."

"…Talk? Since when did we ever just want to talk?" Ash smiled and raised his brow.

Maylene grinned as she pulled herself up to stance. A rush of electric excitement tingled in her every vein and vessel. She knew exactly what he meant. _This is it._ Her muscles relaxed as she readied herself for the fight ahead. _This is finally it. Come on, Ash. I've been waiting for this._

Ash didn't have time for this fight. Neither of them had the time for it. Somewhere within the underground base of the Hearthome Branch Resistance, there was a mission or task needing one or both of them for supervision, guidance, or assistance. And if not that – there was a comfy bed or a platter of food that begged for them to get a moment's rest. A fight between the two of them now would not have been wise.

But something had been _'off'_ about Maylene lately. Ash could not quite point it out, but it disturbed him that only he could sense it. Neither Anabel nor May had ever caught it, even when asked. Whatever it was: Maylene wanted no one else to know. And this fight was the only time and place she intended to reveal it.

Tilting his head to the side, Ash listened to the sounds of his surroundings. His weight shifted to feel more vibrations from the ground below him. And his Empathy reached out, attempting to hold onto Maylene's constantly fading emotions. Without the help of Sato, Ash was blind again – a condition he no longer considered a handicap. What he had considered a handicap was the fact that he hadn't fought without pokémon as often as Maylene has in the past few weeks. He was rusty compared to her. Adding to the fact that he still considered himself as a poor fighter, he knew full well that this could be a losing battle.

But that never mattered to Maylene. Winning or losing meant nothing to her at this moment. The physical clash with Ash was all the reward and drive she needed. The familiar feel of his attacks and impacts reminding her exactly who he was, would be worth more than any prize to her now. Who Ash was, was the only human who could speak to her this way. She never needed anything more than the reminder that they still 'knew who the other was'. Recognition beyond any legacy one could leave behind. It made her feel alive. Only Ash made her feel alive…

_Does that mean I…?_

**Thom-Thom-Thom-Thom**

The sounds of combat boots striking the half-hollowed metal floor prevented Maylene from continuing her bewildered introspection. It was Ash, wearing the same boots he had worn during one of their infiltration missions inside a Rocket Base, storming towards her for an attack. His subtlety was nonexistent – easily revealing his intended rushed punch. His form was poor – holding no proper defense, possibility for a feint, or stance made for countering. And worst of all: His attack was too predictable.

Maylene sighed. She was well-aware that Ash hadn't much practice in physical combat since their last fight. She wasn't particularly disappointed, as she expected that this was a possibility, but a portion of her earlier excitement had faded. _I still won't go easy on you, though…_

Swinging her arm leftward and down, she redirected his thrust downward with a quick parry. Her wrist slid across his forearm, continuously controlling his attack while preventing his elbow from curling into a hold, and struck her free arm's elbow forward.

_One strike to the chin. He'll fall back, leaving him open to either a lock on his right arm or a heavy blow to a weak spot on his abdomen._ She studied him as if he were any other opponent. In truth, she yearned to see him as unpredictable and a constant threat no matter what advantage she held, but he was giving too many signs of having little focus on the fight. _He might just be fighting me just so I stop bothering him about it…_ A frown creased her face.

The frown shrank when she noticed her elbow didn't connect. There was no impact. The chin it was supposed to tackle wasn't there. The head that was supposed to be knocked back was no longer in its predicted position. In her busied thoughts, Maylene had lost track of Ash – and with it, her balance. She nearly tripped over her own momentum and kicked her back foot forward to stop the fall. "Whoah – _AH!_"

Pain. Lower back, to the left. Dull yet sharp. An elbow strike. _H-How did he-?_ Maylene winced and turned, finding Ash crouched behind her, his elbow placed perfectly as the result of an expected counter. He was still crouched, with no posture to show that he could easily avoid the next attack. _Nice move, but –_ She twisted her body and launched her foot upwards – initiating a powerful reverse downward kick. Contact with his neck, rib, or any part of his leg would immediately disable him. _– you've left yourself wide open!_

Ash retracted his arm and curled his body instantly – assuming a fetal position to remove any form of vulnerability. But the position itself was vulnerable, disallowing any ability to counter or avoid grappling techniques. Despite that, Maylene's smile returned. She hadn't expected that. And as her heel struck and slid off her target's back, a feeling of pure thrill returned as she witnessed his next move: Rolling from the blow, Ash put a small distance between him and his assailant. He stopped the roll by planting his hand to the floor and quickly uncurled himself. His position was perfect – bent feet locked in position, knees lax, both hands pressing against the floor with sprung fingers; Ash was ready for a tackle or sprint within seconds.

And sprint he did. His feet thudded against the floor but no longer produced the loud **Thom**s he had made earlier. _Was he just trying to fool me earlier?_ Maylene questioned her own judgments with the hopes of having been wrong all along.

Ash launched skyward and forward – too low enough for a downward attack, too fast to make a frontal assault. He dashed past her in mid-air. The fighter's eyes widened as she caught a twist in his upper-body in her peripheral vision. _That's–!_

Planting one foot forward and swinging her body towards him, Maylene caught Ash's elbow strike. _Except that's not an elbow strike!_ Her wrist contacted with his wrist, and she knew what would come next: His wrist turned and grabbed her blocking arm. His other arm reached out, attempting to grab a part of her hand. She refused him the chance by moving away her fist just before he could reach it. _NO YOU DON'T!_

Wrenching her arm forward, she threatened to slam his body to the ground with a reversal. His body answered by letting go and backing away. A safe distance apart, Ash breathed heavily in exhaustion as he relaxed back into a stance – a far more proper fighting stance.

Maylene found herself disturbed. She knew _that attack_ – _that attack_ she had just prevented from happening. Though it intended on exposing her fist in an effort to weaken and manipulate her control by grasping and pulling a weak digit – she knew _that attack _wasn't designed for that. The technique was meant to use a weapon, a sharp weapon. More specifically: A weaponized tulip.

She felt sick again. _He's… been training with Domino?_

Domino, the original Agent codename given the blond woman named Dominique. It was a codename that many in the group no longer adopted as they had grown closer to her as an ally. And it certainly was not a name Maylene used to call her anymore – as she associated the name with Dominique's former status as a Team Rocket elite. "Dom" is what she knew her by now.

But at this moment, she was "Domino" again.

Ash's stance dropped. He seemed to notice Maylene's quickly depressing emotions. Though she was always aware that Ash had difficulty reading her emotions more so than he could others, Maylene knew he would be able to read her clear as day now. In any other situation, she would have preferred to speak with her fists and feet – as it spoke with more clarity than her words or her emotions… but she _didn't want to fight anymore. Not after finding out that…_

He ran towards her, launching a kick straight for the side of her head. Palms outward, she forced the kick away and swung her shoulder in to impel him. Her foot hovered forward and hooked behind his ankle. With enough force, she intended to knock the air out of him with a floor slam.

Avoiding the shoulder with a quick rotation, Ash spun on his heel and slapped his wrist onto her neck. He pressed down while striking at her rib.

Maylene growled in defiance and stiffened her muscles. Instead of following the blow against her neck, she resisted it directly by pushing back. The pink-haired fighter still had the superiority in consistent training; she could easily overpower him through raw power. With a flex and moving pressure to her feet and shoulders, Maylene knocked away his attack and slammed her palm across the bottom of his chin.

Her fingers latched on and twisted. Before he could use the ineffective grapple to his advantage, Maylene leapt upwards and brought Ash with her. With a shout, she lifted the blind Empathic off his feet and threw his entire body backwards – the back of his head striking the steel floor with a loud **clang**. A blow that should have knocked him out cold. But it hadn't.

In less than a second, Ash had adjusted his vest to reach over his neck, cushioning most of the collision. The pain and impact still stunned him immensely, yet he refused to pause or falter. He rolled onto his chest and lifted himself onto his elbows. His body shook as it struggled to follow the mental commands to get onto its feet.

She gave him no respite. A swift kick to his stomach dropped him to his chest, gasping for air. With a relentless punch to the back and head, she ensured he would have lost consciousness.

…

She won. But it was no victory. No matter the physical outcome, she had only lost in the end. And it was a hollow reality she would be returning to.

Her back turned, she headed towards the door.

Inches away, Maylene stopped in her tracks. Though she yearned to leave, she still held a sense of responsibility towards her downed victim. Ash more than likely had been left with a concussion, and required immediate care… _even if_, at the moment, _I don't want anything to do with him_. She needed time to clear her head and analyze what had just happened – but Ash's condition was dire in comparison. She was not immature enough to ignore that.

With a sigh, she turned and –

_How…_

Ash was standing, in stance. He neither seemed disorientated or nauseated, and his form hadn't changed. It was still Ash – still no Sato, and still no signs of being broken.

This time Maylene went in for the offense. She charged forward, her fist held back for the strike. The attack was obvious. It was made to be obvious: It was a challenge. And Ash accepted. He darted towards her and held back his own fist.

The two roared in unison as their fists collided against one another's bodies. It was the conclusive blow for Maylene… and the final strike for Ash.

Though unbroken from her last attack, he was still severely weakened and could no longer handle any further injuries. He broke now. Falling to his knees, Ash let out a gasp as his consciousness faded. Maylene immediately dropped to her own knees and held him up by the shoulders. "Ash, don't go yet. Not yet!"

He was already gone; locked away from consciousness as much as Sato had been just minutes before.

Maylene smiled endearingly. "_…We always end up leaving each other before I ever get the chance to say it…_" Inching closer towards him, Maylene no longer denied the feeling that had constantly attempted to overtake her.

Accepting it fully, she pressed forward and locked her lips with his.

This wasn't the first time. This happened before… _When the two of us were different people._

Pulling away, she stared at him with golden eyes. Her fingers reached and brushed away a curl of red hair that obscured her view. She sat herself to the floor, Ash in her arms, feeling the same way she had felt for him all those years ago. When he was a man named Sato. And she was a woman named Ramie.

The two of them had fought the same exact way. Spoke in the same language. Ended in this same conclusion… _With our first kiss._

It had been a harrowing time for the young woman named Maylene. Though she had kept herself clear in thought and sharp in mind, the constant changing of events had been troubling and stressing on her entire spirit. The other members of the team had found their own ways to cope and adapt to the new environments and problems that infinitely appeared in front of them. Maylene, on the other hand, never fully acclimated to their warping situations.

In her mind, in her heart, she was still the Veilstone City Gym Leader – merely on hiatus to solve some personal issues, extending it by a ridiculous amount to stop the forces of Team Rocket.

Yet that wasn't the case. It hadn't been that case since Ash's 'death'. Since the darkness had taken him away, everything had escalated into something completely unfamiliar. From the revelation of simply being a portion of a woman who made a wish, to the alienating new world from the result of Team Rocket's own wish – nothing was the same. Even though she had never admitted it: _Nothing would ever be the same._

It was in that denial that a disorienting domino effect of 'changes' began to erode Maylene's once adamant nature. She had desperately held onto it for weeks since the transitions, but she knew it would eventually break. Her only hope was that some drastic event would help her adapt like everyone else could. She had no time nor cares to handle it for herself. Responsibility for the team always came before responsibility for herself – and it was in her assumption that such an outlook would be repaid in karma.

But it had taken too long. Far too long. And she was beginning to snap.

Events and memories began overlapping one another. Individual stories and lives were suddenly mixed and muddled. What was happening and why was slowly becoming more uncertain by the day. Who people were and were not became unclear in a matter of minutes. Nothing was solid anymore – an environment that was making her anxious by the passing hours.

Maylene's desire to fight Ash one more time exploded in this anxiety. For her, it was her only cure and way back to being her normal self. It was the only solid thing left: Her one true passion left in an ever changing world.

That solid belief melted away when emotions of _jealousy_, _envy_, and _betrayal_ spiked into her consciousness. _Ash had fought with Domino._ For that, she was certain. When and why, she wasn't sure – but she was sure that fight wasn't meant for the two of them. In that idea, Ash had cheated her from her last sense of solid truth. At that moment, absolutely nothing remained certain anymore.

_Just like when you fought with Quinn…_ Ramie's eyes closed, losing herself to her old memories. _I couldn't be with you like Maya could be, but I could still be your partner._ Her arms folded, pressing the unconscious boy's head against her chest. _But you took even that away from me. In every strike you made, I felt Quinn. You saw her as your partner – not me_.

Something cold had slid down her cheek. A tear, she realized. _You never liked seeing me cry, Sato. On that day, I did. You were the only thing I had left, and you gave it to everyone else. I sacrificed everything for you, even when I should have only given it up for the mission. But you were my mission, Sato – not the world. The world was lost, but you were still there. You were always there for me. You were the only thing that still made sense in the world. And yet you…_

Her hand gripped tightly around his shoulder and squeezed. _…But you made it up to me. You talked me down from it, in the only way you could. You spoke with your fists just like you did just now. Telling me everything I needed to know, wanted to know – even if I didn't want to listen to you anymore. Showing me that I meant to you as much as you meant to me. That I was just being stupid about all this!_ She laughed, wiping away the tear's trail.

_For a moment, I was acting like the other girls. Like frail, little Maya. And always-unsure Leanne. You snapped me right out of that. You didn't like it when I acted like them. You knew I was better than that – stronger than that. Even if I didn't believe it anymore._

_And that's why… That's why I love you, Sato. That's why I stole your first kiss from her. If she were your first, she would have just cried about it – and gab on and on about it. But you and I? We never needed to tell the world about it – and the world never needed to know. That was just us. Just me taking what I want, and you wondering when the tables turned. Just like always._

_You owed me, Sato. You owed me a thousand times, and I never asked for anything in return. Except for my first kiss to be yours. I'll do it a million times over if I have to. That moment meant everything to me. It kept me in line when I couldn't find reason to stay anymore. It was my reason – my reminder – of what I was fighting for – of who I was fighting for._

Ramie's golden eyes faded to pink. _And you just gave this girl the reminder she needed._

Maylene blinked. Her body on its knees, hands latched onto Ash's shoulders, and face only a few inches apart from his – She sighed. "…You've gotta' be kidding me."


	9. Relations

**Clak Clak Clak**… **Clak – Clak – Clak – Clak**… **Clak-Clak**

"Just stop, please."

"Hold on, I –"

**Clak Clak Clak-Clak-Clak-Clak-Clak**

"That's not going to work."

"But for a minute, I thought –"

**Clak-Clak**

"You must be imagining things. It's not possible for that to work here." Gary slid across the bench and quickly swiped the pokédev from Dawn's hands. Before she could attempt to take it back, he shoved it into his pocket and slid back to his side of the bench.

"Give it back! I –"

"Give it up already." Gary interrupted her with a sigh. "Don't you get it yet? Pokédevs can't send or receive any information in this world. We don't have the same satellites or service providers. Without those, we have no signal or service. There's nothing out here to transfer any data or frequencies for our pokédevs."

"But I've seen Tracey and Solana use theirs all the time! I've even seen you use yours!"

"They're always using functions in their pokédev – not calling or texting anyone. And I use mine to check the time."

…

Dawn frowned and dropped her shoulders in defeat. "I miss the pokétab…"

"The what?"

"The pokétab! You remember don't you? The device that –" Dawn's eyes widened. "_Wait a minute._ You weren't with them when Bill gave them that thing!" Her hands clapped together in excitement. "Okay, so the pokétab is a –"

Finally able to find a conversation that Gary could not immediately dismiss, Dawn eagerly jumped into a long and drawn out explanation of the now-gone device they were given by the Researcher Bill. From its functions, to its design, to small moments in their group that it had been involved in – she spared no hesitation in describing every last detail of the pokétab.

Gary, though curious of the unknown device, didn't seem to care to hear its explanation from the blue-haired Coordinator. Dawn was a 'side member' of the team. She did not have any particular skill or resource that made her an absolute necessity within the group's hierarchy. And though she would have made an excellent addition to his old team, Gary's view of her within this team gave him little care to give her the attention she constantly sought. By being within this group of misfits, she had believed that she had as much right and as much stakes in every action as anyone else within the team. To Gary, that was hardly the case. She had yet to earn the spot she saw herself in – and did not deserve the tone of interest or importance she held. For that, Gary continued to ignore her words… though he decided to please her by at least pretending to listen.

"…and that's when the aliens came and stole our entire team's underwear."

Gary nodded and smiled with interest.

Dawn rolled her eyes. She knew he wasn't listening. Even when her explanation of the pokétab changed into a strange story about monsters and aliens in comical situations, just to see if he would react to it, Gary did not alter in false responses and acknowledgements. She was getting quite used to no one giving her the consideration she asked for – it was not as much a surprise for her as it was thoughtlessly rude.

It was only to be expected, however. She hated to admit it, but she was still a 'side member' of the team. No matter what she had learned or improved off of within the weeks of her adventures with Ash and the rest – she hadn't truly accomplished anything worth noting. Every other member of the group had given something invaluable or impressive that helped one another or all greatly in the long run. As for herself? _I'm just a backup. Just reinforcement._

She had not earned a unique spot within their team. And for that, she had not earned anyone's real attention or interest. It was only the other Mayas and Ash that gave her any honest notice. To everyone else, _I may as well be invisible._

In a certain perspective, she had learned to be happy for it. Within the reality before this, Dawn realized that she had only gained favor amongst several people for her sense of fashion, looks, and skills as a Coordinator. But none of the three were of any real use within this reality. Her sense of fashion stuck out when they were trying hard to blend in – causing her to give up most of her favorite color combinations in order to better hide with the team. Her appreciably good looks and charm did not seem to have any use within a world where the only ones in power were those beyond her age group – discouraging her from using it as any form of advantage or benefit. And her skills as a Coordinator mattered little when raw power and numbers won most battles in this place – forcing her to drop most of her elegant and stylistic attacks. Though all these factors had originally troubled her, she found that it would give her the fresh start in life that she was seeking within the previous one.

Ash was moving on in his life. New people, new acquaintances, new friends, and new interests appeared one after to involve themselves with the boy from Pallet Town. Though Dawn had boasted spending a massive amount of time with him during their journeys together – his most recent ventures had escalated his relationships with those he could depend on and those that depended on him. Factors such as history and time spent with him were now moot, as familiarity, bonds, and new experiences now took their place. In those things, Dawn had a crippling disadvantage. But with the new world, and its new rules, things had reset.

Dawn had a higher chance of meaning something to Ash now. She had a greater opportunity to become something that he could depend and rely on. …If only she could find the opportunity to make herself known. _I don't know how the other girls do it. One minute they're just talking… next minute, one of them's saving his life from something no one else could face._

She sighed. On many occasions Dawn had attempted in mimicking these same events with Ash, only to find that it ended awkwardly due to how forced they had felt. Anything she tried or experimented with would end up in a strange failure. Making moments with him was simply something she wasn't cut out for.

Instead, she focused her efforts in improving herself and waiting for the right moment to reveal itself. Improve, she did. From taking notes from others, to spying on training sessions, to getting tips and tricks from anyone that was willing to share: Dawn had improved immensely in her techniques in Pokémon Battles, mental sharpness, and physical fitness. She was hardly close to beating anyone at their own game – but she was confident that she could combine these skillsets somehow, someway, into something entirely new. _If I can do it with my pokémon, I know I can do it for myself._

…_I think she finally stopped talking._

"Hm? Did you say something?" Dawn blinked in surprise by the sudden words.

Gary yawned as he stretched his arms across his side of the bench. "What? No. Didn't say anything. Did any of the Quinns contact you?"

"…I don't think so."

"Mm. Keep an ear and mind out then." The Pokémon Researcher bent over and began to rummage through the items in his bag.

He was looking for his pokédev. He placed it in his bag just a few hours ago before deciding to leave on 'Thinker' duty with her. Yet no matter how many times he looked in the bag, he could never seem to find it. Regret is all he felt for having packed so many items and tools for 'just in case' scenarios.

…and Dawn knew all this. _What is this? Am I actually able to –_

And just as quickly as it had come, it vanished. _What? No!_ Dawn patted her chest and head, desperately attempting to kick-start the control of Empathy she had held onto just seconds before. In the minor time she had grasp of it, she felt at ease – natural – and familiar. Her consciousness had transformed into something far more balanced, clear, controlled, and tangible. Within that moment, she felt more like Maya.

_Come on… Come on. Come on! Come back! Please! I just had it! I just did!_ She continued to push her emotions and thoughts in different directions; scanning for any leftover traces of the empathy ability. A sense of panic and depression was quickly spinning out of its holds inside herself. _I was so close! Why now? Why did it have to come up now? Come on, Maya. Please!_

"Dawn? Are you okay?"

The Coordinator sat straight up, realizing that her actions and expressions were an obvious cause for concern if witnessed. "Ah… Yeah! Fine!" She laughed awkwardly. "I had some song lyrics in my head and I just forgot it. I was kind of freaking out that I'd forget the name of the song completely. It's been bugging me for days now."

Gary nodded. The explanation seemed believable enough. "Happened to me once too. I'll leave you alone about it. I might make you more confused if I ask for a portion of the lyrics." He turned and looked away. _It's surprising how casual this girl treats everything. After everything that's happened to her, all she worries herself with are lyrics?_ A humored smirk ran across his face.

A heartened smile ran across Dawn's. _There it is!_ She could 'read' his emotions again. It was unclear, faint, and constantly fading, but the familiar feeling in her heart and mind resurfaced into a more permanent form. She breathed in – an air of satisfaction ran through her lungs as she could 'see' the world closer to how Maya could. _Don't lose it, Dawn. Don't push it. If you can just get used to it, maybe you can keep it for a little longer._

Her body relaxed as it began to study the almost ethereal sense of reality that resided within and around her. It was unphysical, yet attached to the most mortal of things: the heart. Emotions faded in and away – like a tide of untouchable colors. Feelings trickled and sparked – like a burst of electricity. And intentions shaded everything in innate lights and shadows – like the setting sun and rising moon. Though transparent and threatening to disappear at a moment's notice, Dawn deeply appreciated this connection within the realm of Empathy.

_But why now? Why did it come now of all times?_

As her inner self searched for this answer, the colors and temperatures of emotion began to drain away like a cloud dissipating across the sky. _No… At least tell me why I had you…_ And as it continued to lose existence, a sharp pain shot through her head.

"_I know if I can teach Espeon how to do it, I know I can learn it myself…"_

"_Don't push yourself too hard. Take your time with it."_

"_Thank you again for helping me with this, Farron." Maya grinned as she sat up from the bench and adjusted her posture. "You really didn't have to."_

"_If you ever need help with your techniques, you can always count on my support, Maya…"_

"_Thanks." She looked away from him – avoiding the wanting stare he would always give her. "It's real kind of you."_

"_May I ask you something?"_

_She flinched. "S-Sure."_

"_Why me? Why didn't you ask Sato or Leanne for help with this?"_

"_I… kind of wanted it to be a surprise for Sato." Her muscles tensed. A feeling of pure and utter disappointment and jealousy filled Farron – a feeling that was near impossible to ignore. "I got the feeling that Leanne, and especially Ramie, wouldn't like it if I asked them for help…"_

_**And you thought I would like it?**__ Farron's eyes narrowed. He did his best to hide his inner thoughts from her, but he never had solid control with his honest emotions. His heart spoke far too loud to be considered hidden or disguised. __**Maya, he's not worth it…**_

"_I'm sorry…" she responded to him quietly. The two looked towards the ground in disappointment of the circumstances. She continued, "I just need your help, please…"_

"_Why would I want to help –"_

"_Because you care for me, Farron." Her heart felt sick. She never wanted to say it. She never wanted to bring that card up. She never wanted those words to ever be a part of her conversations. Farron was a good friend to her – and to say these words, she knew that she was forcing him to be used by her. She was willingly controlling how he felt for her as leverage to help her gain one more step. One step closer to securing Sato as hers. It was a despicable and shameful act. But she had to do it. She had to use it now. "And if you care for me, you'll help me with this. Please."_

"_I do." Farron frowned as his hands gripped tightly onto his knees. "I do care for you, Maya. That's why I won't help you. Because he isn't worth all this. He really isn't. That boy doesn't need you. I… I'm the one that needs –"_

_She stood, halting his words with a push of her Empathy. "I've got to go then. I need to train on my own. I already have a lot of notes and practices to work on. And all those tips and exercises you gave me is really going to help push this forward. Thank you for that, Farron."_

_Before she could walk away, he grasped onto her hand. "Please Maya. Don't. Not for him. Anyone but him. He's…" His emotions spiraled and imploded into itself – locking her Empathy out completely._

_Maya's eyes widened. "He's what? What do you know?"_

"_He's going to disappear, Maya…"_

"_Disappear? What do you mean by that?" A frightening orb of emptiness shuddered inside her chest. Her Empathy did its best to drive it off, yet it remained – indestructible – an undeniable truth._

"_He's just going to. Nothing you ever do will stop that. He was meant to disappear."_

"_What… What are you saying, Farron?"_

"_Too much."_

"_What –" Farron's entire entity disappeared from her senses. She turned. No one was there. As if no one had ever been there. A creeping tingle remained around her wrist – where Farron's hand had wrapped itself around. There was nothing around her wrist and hand now. Just a phantom feeling – and a deadly premonition. "Sato…"_

"AH!" Dawn finally let out the gasp of pain that her body was refused from. Her hands clawed at her head as the last timeless seconds of the memory faded into nothing. She fought to regain control of her sense of self and present understanding. "_M-Maya… Stop…_"

Gary shot an alarmed glare towards the pained Coordinator. "Dawn?!" He quickly slid across the bench and reached out to her.

Dawn's blue hair flashed orange. She turned in time to find Gary speeding in her direction. A sickening familiarity swirled inside her chest. Maya recognized something that shouldn't have been there – something she should have seen sooner, years sooner. It was only through Dawn that she gained the evidence she needed to see Gary for what he was. What Gary himself couldn't see himself as…

"_He was meant to disappear."_

The darkness crept closer to her, eternally close, eternally waiting for this moment.

Before it could reach her, Maya kicked herself away from the bench and hurried herself to her feet. Her hair flashed blue as Dawn's influence struggled to keep regain awareness. _What am I doing?! That's just Gary! _Orange strands sparked back. _No… He's just like Farron. I should've known then. I could've stopped everything then if I had just –_

"AAHH!" Dawn fell to her knees as she gripped onto her chest. The pain was indescribable – a pain that affected senses beyond the immediate physical.

Arms quickly wrapped around her. It was Gary. "Dawn?! What's wrong?!"

"_Maya…_" Her hair had faded back to blue. She slowly stood, leaning against Gary for support. "I'm fine. That happens from time to time. I think it's from staying as Maya for too long…"

"Are you sure? I can get you back to the others! Or I can get someone here for you! Maybe Leanne –"

"No, no, I'm fine. This happened before. This time actually wasn't as bad as the first." She gave a weak laugh. "I'm just getting used to being part of Maya still. I guess I'm not as natural with it as everyone else. Probably had to do with the trial the three of us Mayas had to go through." With a charming smile, she waved off his concern. "Don't worry; I'm getting better at it."

Gary wanted to doubt her – but in truth, he had no reason to. Unlike the others, he could not recall what had occurred during his trial in order to become part of his unified form – Farron. Dawn was more than likely being honest, especially when he took into account of his amnesia during Farron's 'unification'. _Maybe we all experienced her pain at some point, but in different ways. Just a side-effect from the union? If it weren't for the obvious benefits, I wouldn't think all of this would be worth the effort…_

"Can you keep going? Or do you need to head back?"

Dawn moved towards the bench and sat comfortably against it. "I'm fine. As long as I can keep sitting, I'll last."

He nodded silently towards her and took his spot on the other side of the bench. _This entire ordeal's risking too much. How much longer do we have to endure this? Will there be an end to any of this? _Gary let out a stressed sigh. _We'll all be sacrificing ourselves just for this cause…_

…

_He doesn't know. He has no idea at all, does he?_ Maya stared at the stars above. Her eyes squinted sadly at the thought of what could have happened to Gary… to Farron… _They have no idea what happened to them. They're just being used. Just like Team Rocket. Just like how N was…_

Pinching a strand between her fingers, she twisted and twirled her noticeably blue hair in front of her eyes. Maya was a good liar, just like Dawn – she learned it from watching Leanne, just like Dawn had done with Bianca. Both Maya and Dawn were always underestimated and considered mostly harmless by the others due to their innocent and almost naïve demeanor. But the two still boasted the ability of being able to fool anyone… except for Sato or Quinn.

At the moment, however, the only one she needed to fool was Farron – a man who was fooled by himself. For as long as he was blind to her, she had the chance to act on the warning he had given her lifetimes ago.

_We can still do this. We can still save him._

That was all that mattered to Maya – he was the only thing that ever truly mattered to her. Her life had been spent attempting to teach the world about the love found in Pokémon, but only one human had ever attempted to teach her about the love found in everything – and he succeeded. For that, he was worth sacrificing everything for. He was worth fighting for. He was worth protecting. If anyone deserved the reward of a peaceful life: it was Sato.

And she was given another chance to keep him safe.

As one with Dawn, she could now freely move and act on her own. With Dawn, she could act through a vessel that no one would ever suspect. And as Dawn, she could start all over again; renewed; reborn. _You and I can do this. We'll keep Ash and Sato safe._

Dawn nodded to herself, in full agreement with Maya. For the blue-haired Coordinator, this was all she ever wanted: She wanted to mean something to Ash. And if it meant being his only defense from the darkness – she would gladly take that role.

Her eyes shifted slightly in blues as Maya receded into the subconscious. Dawn breathed a slow sigh of relief and satisfaction. She finally felt whole. She finally felt sure. Her world and her life had changed impossibly within a short amount of time – and it was only now that she found her solid footing. For once in her entire experience after Ash had lost his sight: She knew what to do.

_I won't let them take you, Ash… I won't let any of them take you away again._

* * *

The light flickered again, its constant spark beginning to fade with each passing second. Pikachu was falling asleep. Though he had offered his help in creating and holding a small glow for Misty, he hadn't realized how long she needed the light. It had been hours – and he could no longer keep himself awake. And with his drifting consciousness, the yellow radiance from his cheeks finally dimmed to darkness.

The room had turned pitch-black. Misty's work with her notes had come to a standstill. Despite the inconvenience, she patted the Electric Type softly on the head in thanks. _"You really didn't need to…"_ she whispered as quietly as she could. Pikachu sleepily responded with a wave.

Her light was finally gone – but her work was nowhere near finished. With a disappointing sigh, Misty pulled out a pokédev from her bag and used its screen's light next to her notepad. It was hardly as bright as she needed it to be, but it was still dim enough to prevent the others from waking up.

Within the room of E-7, all was quiet. All had been quiet for hours as all of its inhabitants had found themselves in deep sleep. The day had been long and the work had been tedious for a team that had been used to ever-changing environments and troubled situations. It was a rest for their tensed hearts, minds, and muscles – but a maddening bore for their pace in missions. And so they slept – to escape from the irritation and to encourage the slow adaptation their senses needed.

All had slept within Room E-7, except for Misty and Pikachu – though only Misty remained now. Covered in papers and notepads, she had drowned herself in organization and comparison of scribbles and scrawls – all in an effort to give the necessary information that the team could use. More importantly, the paperwork had hidden codes in need of decryption. Codes that were notes themselves. Most importantly, coded notes on her target objective: The Leannes.

'_AM Bi – 1503 – Spoke w/ Historian Representative* on subj Dialga Carvings__12__. Conv Time ~13.20. LR: 'Dialga', 'Which Time', 'Date Of Relic', 'Here … in Sinnoh', 'Founding', 'Other Carvings Within … Sinnoh', 'Members Involved'.'_ Misty pulled away the pen and examined her shorthand work. Her eyes quickly read and reread between her papers, ensuring that her translated words matched with her coded ones. Shifting through more notes, she compared the time for each code before beginning her next set of quick writings. _'AM Bi – 1552 – Obtained photo of ? subj__09__. Wrk Time ~2.00. XLRX.' _Her hand quickly slid down the page and made an extra mark on the bottom, next to the line _'__09__ Unknown Photograph. No angle.'_

"_Oh, but what about this one? This one is at 1521."_

"_That's for LAT, not AM Bi."_ Misty explained with an equally hushed tone. Her eyes widened. She shot a look to the figure to her left: It was Bianca – the blonde from Unova. In a strange form of panic and cool-headedness, Misty immediately began to fold her notes and papers and placed them into her bag.

"_Uhm… Did I do something wrong?" _Bianca gave a concerned frown. _"I'm sorry, I just –"_

The Cerulean City Gym Leader had no idea what to do. In any other situation, she would have immediately made a lie, knocked out the intruder, or negotiated a deal of some sort in order to keep the witness silent. However, this was Bianca of the Leannes – her target; and she had failed to hide the work, that was meant to be used against them, from one of them.

Bianca was naïve and gullible, but those traits could have been disguises made by the Leannes – risking the chance that lies could have given her the time and information she wanted. Bianca was mostly innocent and harmless, giving her the benefit of the doubt in most situations – risking the chance that knocking her out would have been an unsound and irrational reaction. And Bianca was still one of the Leannes – risking the chance that Misty would have gained the rotten end of any negotiations. None of her easy choices seemed viable within this situation. She had never expected any of them to sneak up on her – _especially the blond one_.

How the Unova native was able to get anywhere near her in the first place baffled her. Though Misty had no real connection to Psychic, Empathic, or Aura reading, she had trained her eyes and ears to near perfection. By all accounts, Bianca should have never been able to sneak away from her bed without Misty catching sight or sound from her. All evidences pointed to the fact that she had completely underestimated one of the Leannes; something she should have never been guilty of.

"_How did you sneak up on me?"_ Misty decided that if she could not trick, fool, or make deals with the Leanne, she could at least face her with honesty. _"I didn't hear or see you coming."_

"_Sneak up on you?"_ The blonde tilted her head. _"I've been sitting next to you this entire time."_

Misty's eyes widened even further. _"Y-You have?"_

"_Yup. I saw you pulling out your notes and thought I could help. So I just sat next to you."_

"_But… Then who's sleeping on your bed?"_

"_Tonya."_ Bianca pouted. _"That was another reason why I came to help you… She's been sleeping there since we got back."_

Misty turned towards the bed that the blonde should have been asleep in. A figure was curled in its dark sheets, with the familiar green newsboy cap Bianca had been known for on its head.

Looking back at Bianca, she noticed the blonde was still wearing her hat. Misty pointed at the hat on her head and the hat on the sleeping figure's head.

"_I have more than one." _Bianca answered nonchalantly._ "And I don't blame her for wearing it. They're quite comfy."_

Misty sighed. _"So you've been here the entire time?"_

"_Yep."_

"_And you've been watching me write these notes all this time?"_

"_Definitely."_

"_Spying?"_

"…_Spying?"_ Bianca tilted her head again. _"Why would I be spying?"_

"_Well why else would you be here?"_ Misty crossed her arms; unbelieving.

"_Sato put us in a team together, remember? For the Archive? I uhm… I didn't get much notes for our meeting. So I thought if I helped you with yours that I could be of some use…"_

The rather sad answer made the orange-haired Gym Leader place her palm to her eyes. _"And so in your attempt to help me, you inadvertently became a spy for the Leannes…"_ she groaned.

"_Uhm… No?"_

Her response was almost adorable to Misty. Almost. _"If you've been here the entire time – I get the feeling you understand my codes by now."_ – Bianca nodded. Misty shrugged her shoulders challengingly. _"So you know that I've been spying on all of you."_ – Bianca nodded again.

…

Misty cursed under her breath. She wasn't sure if Bianca was stalling or simply too dense to realize the seriousness of the situation. _"That means you're going to tell them – because you're going to protect them – which makes YOU the SPY."_ she explained it as clearly as she could.

Bianca shook her head, surprising the Gym Leader. _"No, I won't say anything."_

Blinking as if her eyes had been the one to hear wrong, Misty leaned back. _"Y-You won't?"_

"_No… Should I?"_

"_Shouldn't you? They're your friends. And you are a Leanne."_

"_This is for Sato, right?"_

"…_Yes?"_ Misty answered hesitantly.

"_And Sato's just looking out for us, right?"_ Bianca smiled sweetly. _"Then I don't need to tell them anything."_

"…_Are… Are you sure? But aren't you on Leanne's side on all this?"_

Bianca looked down, an expression of obvious guilt filling her features. _"…No. Not really."_

Misty was unsure whether to take her seriously or to fear that she was being fooled into a false sense of security. _"And why would you not be on her side if you're a part of her?"_

"_Because I don't really know what I'm supposed to be doing here…"_ Her answer was honest – too honest. It wasn't a conversation Bianca was ever ready to face. A held-back tear rolled down the blonde's cheek as her body began to shake. _"I… I want to go back home, but… I don't want to make everyone here disappear either."_ She pressed her forearm against her eyes, wiping away the tears that escaped her control. _"Really, I don't know what to do. I just want to go home. But keep everyone. Everyone's so nice here. And if we made everything go back to what it was before… We'd lose all those nice people…"_

She finally broke down, sobbing as quietly as she could into her sleeves. _"I just wish none of this ever happened. I don't know what to do. I really don't. Sato knows what to do without being mean. That's what it sounds like, at least. What BiBi's doing doesn't sound any better than what Team Rocket did… And what the Psychic people are doing doesn't sound like any of us will ever be able to leave all this crazy stuff… I just want to go home… I just… really want to go home…"_

Misty wrapped her arms around her and patted her gently. _"Shhh… We'll all go home after this."_

"…_I… I don't even know where home is anymore…"_

Misty sighed. _"Me neither… Maybe we'll just have to make a new one."_

"_Will… Will all of you be there?"_

"_Hm?"_

"_Will all of you be there? In the new home?"_ Bianca tried her best to stop her mewling. _"I really like all of you. You're like family to me… I don't know if I could ever feel at home without knowing all of you are okay._"

A smile formed on Misty's lips. _"I'm sure we'll all stay in contact with each other. Maybe even live near each other."_

"…_Are you going to marry Sato?"_

Misty's face turned pink at the unexpected question. _"Wh-What?"_

Bianca wiped away the last of her tears and looked up at Misty. _"If we live near each other… are you going to be married to Sato? Live in the same house? You're always around him and doing everything for him. You do more things for him than any of the others here. And well… They say you've known Ash longer than anyone else here. I think he'd choose you."_

"_I… Well… What makes you think he won't choose the others? He's really close with Angie… Or Sabrina."_

"_Sabrina's too focused on missions and stuff like that to really commit. And Angie's just like Ramie – she's going to give up if one of the Mayas gets with Sato."_ she answered matter-of-factly, _"At least, that's what BiBi says."_

"_One of the Mayas?"_ Misty leaned back in curiosity. _"Why not just 'Maya'?"_

Bianca, realizing that she would not be able to sleep in her own bed anytime soon, crawled away from Misty's arms and moved towards the headboard of the bed. She leaned against it comfortably. _"You're too close to Ash to be fine being with him as Maya."_

_Am I? "What does that mean?"_

"_Dawn and Anabel are really happy to be Maya. But you aren't. You used to be – but after losing Ash and getting him back, you haven't been as close to Sato. You aren't even experiencing Maya's personality anymore in your own."_

"_Did BiBi tell you all that?"_

She shook her head. _"One part, at least. About how close you were with Sato. But the other part? About how you're not as close anymore? No, I noticed that myself."_

"_You… You've been spying on me?"_ Misty's eyes narrowed.

"_N-No. Well… Kind of? I guess I spy on you as much as I spy on everyone else…"_

_A Leanne to the end._ Misty wondered where the conversation would lead if she continued to push for more information – though a larger concern suddenly filled her mind, _"Why are you telling me all this?"_

"_Telling you this? … Uhm… I like Sato. He's like a big brother to me. And… I guess… I think you really make him happy. I think you're the best for him."_

The Gym Leader blinked in surprise. _"You mean… You think I'm better for him as myself than as Maya? Wait… You think I'm better for him than Leanne?"_

Bianca thought for a second before answering, _"Yeah, I guess I do. Maya was good for Sato, but I don't think Maya is as close to Sato as you are with Ash. And… well, I never really wanted to say it, but I don't think we Leannes are very good for him."_ She leaned forward and waved her hands. _"Please don't tell BiBi or Latias that I said that! They'd kill me!"_

"_You think…"_ Misty's face became surprisingly hot. _"I'm that close to Ash?"_

Bianca nodded. _"I really think you two were meant for each other."_

Misty's face became even hotter. _"Uhm… Th-Thank you. I honestly didn't expect anyone to say that."_

"_That's because it's a lie."_ a voice to their right muttered in annoyance.

Misty and Bianca nearly screamed in surprise at the third voice. They flinched at the sight of an irritated May standing at the side of the bed. _"H-How long have you been there?"_ Misty hissed.

"_Long enough."_ May growled back. _"You really shouldn't be counting your chickens quite yet, Misty. Especially since your Mayas are probably flirting with Ash as we speak."_

"_What?"_

"_Anabel snuck off."_ the Coordinator mentioned almost casually, _"Just got up and snuck out of here while you and Blondie were having your little girl time. And Anne's emotions only showed one thing: Something urgent."_

Misty quickly pushed herself off the bed and began to pack essentials into her bag. _"Any clue to why she left?"_ she asked professionally.

"_I'd guess it has something to do with the fact that Ash and Maylene aren't back from their little spar. Oh, and Dawn and Gary aren't due back yet – but who knows, they might have something to do with her freak out."_

"_And why are you up?"_

"_Because Anabel's panicked emotions forced me awake."_ she murmured. _"I don't really have full control of my Empathy yet, so sue me. Just be glad I was here to warn you two."_

Misty nodded and looked around the darkened room. _"…No one else is missing, correct?"_

"_None that I can feel out."_ May shrugged. _"Angie's awake, by the way. Faking her sleep."_

"_Doesn't matter. Just make sure she doesn't follow us – we don't need all of us scrambling out of our beds over a hunch."_

"Psh. _I ain't staying here. I'm going to check on Ash._"

"_No, you're not. You're staying here and watching over this place."_

"_Wasn't a suggestion."_

"_Neither was mine."_

The Coordinator sneered. _"I don't follow orders from you, Mist. Especially when it concerns Ash's safety. Like it or not, I'm the only one who can follow Anabel's emotions right now. If I wanted to, I can leave you back here. I only told you all this because I thought you'd be concerned that one of the Mayas is sneaking out in the middle of the night… But I guess since you're planning on stealing Ash for yourself –"_

"_I don't have time for this, May. I can look for Anabel myself. Just point me which way she went."_

…

May smirked amusedly and shook her head, walking towards the exit.

"_May, get back here now."_

The brown-haired Empathic left the room without another word.

"_Shoot…"_ Misty grabbed the last of her needed mission items and was ready to chase after. She stopped herself halfway and eyed the blonde on her bed. _"Make sure no one else leaves this room. Got it?"_

Bianca sat up straight and nodded.

Misty ran out the door and disappeared into the shadows of Corridor E.

* * *

Anabel was found at the hatchway of the Hearthome Tertiary – one of the main exits for the HBR into their own city, and the one Gary and Dawn had used to begin their Thinker duty. She carefully worked the switches and knobs to the left-side wall before slowly peeking her head out of the disguised hatch. Her body hardly moved as quietly or as skillfully as it was being perceived. Using her Empathy masterfully, the Frontier Brain was able to control how any within her vicinity _'cared'_ about her movements, sound, or her direction – making her seem invisible despite being in clear view.

"_And where do you think you're sneaking off to?"_ Misty grabbed her by the sleeve.

The Empathic didn't seem surprised. Tilting her head slightly to regard the orange-haired Gym Leader, she responded, _"I felt something."_

"_Explain."_

"_Dawn. Something happened to her." _Anabel pulled her sleeve away and began to close the hatch as quietly as she could. _"She's fine now. But earlier, I could've sworn…"_

"_Sworn what? And since when were you able to sense emotions this far out?"_ Misty leaned her back against the nearest wall. Her latter question seemed to concern her more – as she was sure that not even the 'unified' Maya could have that much control of her Empathy.

Anabel shook her head. _"I can't. Something happened to Dawn. Didn't you feel it?"_

The Gym Leader raised her brow and frowned. _"I can't sense emotions other than Ash's, remember?"_

Anabel shook her head again. _"No. Not emotions. Something happened to Dawn. Something that has to do with Maya. I'm sure you would've felt something."_

Misty shrugged. _"Didn't feel a thing. What exactly did you feel?"_

Finally able to close and lock the hatch completely, the lilac-haired Empathic exhaled in relief. Her volume returned to normal, "I can't exactly explain. Like… Wait." She looked around curiously. "You were following May?"

Slightly surprised at her ability to read emotions even while still in thought, Misty hesitated with her answer, "…Yes. And I'm wondering the same thing you are. But that's not important right now. What did you feel?"

Reaching out with her Empathy, Anabel scanned as far as she could: The brown-haired Coordinator was nowhere near them. It was a strange circumstance, as Misty's emotions had revealed that she had been following directly behind her for quite some time. Yet May was nowhere to be found. How she could have lost the keen eyes and ears of the Cerulean Gym Leader – made little sense.

"Don't worry about her right now." Misty snapped Anabel's attention back into the current circumstances. The orange-haired tomboy seemed to have gained an innate understanding of what she was thinking even without any proper form of metaphysical abilities. Their connection together as 'Mayas' seemed to have built that. "Just tell me what's going on."

_What was going on concerned their very connection as 'Mayas'_, Anabel wanted to say. But she refused those words from leaving her lips. Misty was one of the most proactive members of their team, and giving her any reason to act needed to first be confirmed and understood. Neglecting to do so was similar to leaving a scent of blood in the water – with Misty being the sharpedo hidden in its depths. "For a second," Anabel decided to respond, "I thought I lost my connection with Maya."

Misty flinched. _That's definitely something 'urgent'._ "What do you mean?"

"Exactly what I said." The Frontier Brain pressed her back against the hatchway controls, preventing the Gym Leader from acting out on her current emotions. "While I was asleep, there was a sudden… _emptiness_, or _disconnection_. I felt like how I was before the three of us became Maya at Lake Verity."

Misty inspected her own emotions and memories. Not once had she felt any such 'emptiness' or 'disconnection'. _Is it because I'm not an Empathic? Or is it because I haven't really felt as connected to Maya since…_ Bianca's words echoed in her heart. A curious guilt swirled around her chest as she worried that her lack of commitment to being 'Maya' may have caused the disconnection. However, there was one last detail that needed to be considered, "What does this have to do with Dawn? What did you feel from her?"

"…I felt like she was Maya. As if she left us and went just to her."

"That wouldn't make sense." Misty crossed her arms and studied the Empathic's face. Anabel was not the type to jump to conclusions, _even if she is an emotional type._ Due to her experiences throughout their travels, Anabel had honed her own emotions to near-perfect control. With that control she had an almost cold logic to her – _similar to the Quinns or the Leannes_, though her control was driven by care and empathy. Even with that difference, Misty doubted she would have chosen to be irrational over a single, easily misunderstood feeling. There had to be a strong reasoning behind the situation for the usually-hesitant Anabel to push herself into action. "We're all Maya. Pieces of her. Maya isn't complete without each of us." she concluded.

"I thought that too. But… I still couldn't shake that feeling off. It was so strong. So loud. So hot. I couldn't ignore it."

"You're not the type to act over hunches, Anne. Ar–"

"This was no hunch." Anabel interrupted. "I know what I felt. I don't really understand it and I can't really explain it. But I know exactly how it felt. I just can't put it into proper words."

"Then express it in a way that you do know will make sense. An analogy or something."

"…_Analogy_…" Anabel thought hard. Emotions were difficult to put into words, yet were always done through poetry – and were almost always done with analogies. However, the emotions felt by an Empathic were not simple shades or colors – each emotion held entire stories and settings within, having far more depth than what the normal poem could hold.

"A mirror." is what she decided to begin with, "And it reflects a person in it. But then it shatters. And the person's still in each broken piece… They're only pieces and portions of the person, but together, they make the person whole. But when one piece shifts in the right direction and shows the entire person – then the other pieces are nothing but broken portions of the whole. They don't make a whole anymore – only one of them does."

The analogy surprisingly made sense to Misty, who didn't consider herself to be a deep poet. "And you're saying… Dawn is that piece that shifted towards Maya?"

Anabel nodded slowly. "But –" she quickly added, "She's not anymore. She's back to just being Dawn. At least… I think she is."

"You don't want to ask her?"

"Would she tell us the truth if she did?"

Misty considered. _Dawn's easily excitable – and she would normally say anything and everything on her mind… So she would, wouldn't she? But as Maya…_ "Maya wouldn't say a thing about it."

"No, she wouldn't."

"And what were you planning to do?"

"I just wanted to make sure."

"Make sure what, exactly?"

Anabel frowned. Misty was not going to let the subject drop. The subject was hassling enough as it was without the Gym Leader's interference – yet the situation seemed to have gained a timer as long as she was involved. Anabel wanted time to think – time to reconsider, but Misty's presence would not allow it. "I wanted to make sure that she really was. Really was Maya. She isn't anymore. But seeing her out there? I _know_ something happened. I guess you could say 'intuition' – because that's all I can really go off of right now."

"And what were you planning to do after you found out?"

"I'm not really sure…" She shrugged in defeat. "I didn't think this is how it would turn out. I thought the three of us would finally get used to being Maya, and just… I mean, _crazy as it is_, I didn't mind… um… '_sharing_' Ash, as long as we did it as Maya." She stared at the floor, refusing to look at Misty. What she was suggesting was something they had all considered, but never said aloud. In verbal words: It sounded taboo and completely strange. Though the concept was not foreign to them when they were Maya – as individuals it implied something entirely different. But what it implied was the only thing Anabel sought to hold onto. "I was fine with that. Looking forward to that, really. I thought Dawn was too. But now?"

"…_Things never stay easy around Ash, do they?_" Misty sighed. "Let's just go to sleep. Maybe Dawn will want to talk about it with us later. It's best not to corner her about it." She turned and waved for the Empathic to follow her.

Anabel stopped her in her tracks – holding her by the sleeve. "_You're not helping either, Misty._"

The Gym Leader tilted her head slightly. "Excuse me?"

"I said you're not helping either."

"And what's that supposed to mean?"

"I mean… This _thing_ you've been doing with Ash lately. How private you've been with him. And how you're acting as his only trustworthy partner."

"It's not my fault if he sees me as that."

"He sees you as that because you're _making him_ see you that way."

Misty turned and faced Anabel. A look of tired annoyance filled her expression. "Look, I'm not sure why everyone's getting so worked up tonight – but we really can schedule this argument for another time."

"See? You're doing it again!" Anabel's eyes narrowed. "You keep rescheduling everyone else's conversations and talks, but every minute Ash has just one moment of troubled thought – you come rushing in there as if you're the paramedics! Because of that, he has no choice but to see you as the only one he could count on! Because you're not letting anyone else get the chance! You've been that way since Sabrina and Casey had to leave our group."

"If you've got a problem with it, you could just as easily take the time to go take care of Ash yourself, _Ms. Empathic_. I'm not stopping anyone. And I'm _certainly_ not stopping you."

"But _you are_. Because of how you've been treating him, the rest of us feel like we're just getting in his way! By the time he's done talking to you, he's always so emotionally exhausted or estranged that none of us can get near him without him trying to put on the right face. The rest of us feel like burdens to him once you're done with him!"

"And what's wrong with that?!" Misty's controlled temper finally broke. She always did her best to keep her calm around lilac-haired young woman, due to her causing no trouble or offense to others, but it was obvious now that Anabel intended to aim offense towards her. "Is it so wrong that I like Ash and actually am pursuing him for once? I see you girls hanging off him every minute of the day – practically begging for his attention! I'm at least making it worth his time! You can say I'm draining him emotionally all you want, but you know yourself that he's more awake and rested after I talk with him! What _you're_ afraid of is the fact that he's becoming less vulnerable to any moments of sensitivity that you can lay on him! Maybe instead of blaming me for giving him what he _needs_ – maybe you should take a long, hard look at yourself in the mirror and blame yourself for constantly bothering him for what you _want_!"

Anabel took a step back. Misty's green eyes were locked against her lilac eyes – and from the challenging position the orange-haired tomboy was in: Anabel noticed that Misty was slightly taller than her – making her a threatening figure. Anabel never liked bullies. "And maybe _you_ should take a long, hard look at _yourself_ in the mirror and know that you're still a Maya! And you left your other pieces out here to act like second-hand replacements!" With a burst of her Empathy, she caused Misty to flinch. "We're all pieces to each other, Misty! You're just shoving us out of the way because you want Ash to yourself! Your selfishness probably pushed Dawn to that point of relying on herself to be like Maya instead of counting on all of us!"

Despite the unnerving aura that was emanating from the fuming Empathic, Misty stood her ground. "Well good for her! She's at least succeeding in something that, for once, doesn't rely on a trampy little outfit and a shallow smile! She's at least working on herself for once instead of waiting for someone to throw her a bone! And so what if I want Ash?! I spent years worrying my head off for that idiot that I actually had to spend even more years trying to improve my career just to get him out of my head! And what do you know? He keeps coming back! No matter how many times I think I'm rid of him – he just – _poof_ – comes right back! As if the whole universe is just dangling him in front of me until I do something about it! And guess what? I'm doing something about it now. And suddenly that's a crime? Ash needs me! And I really never wanted to admit it but _I_ – I need him! None of you other girls get that! You just have your childish little crushes on him and never questioned once if you really did care for him – honestly, truly cared for him!"

Misty's fist planted itself against the concrete wall, echoing a broken **thwack** down the long, empty corridor. Her arm tensed, her knuckles bled, and her eyes winced. A tear rolled down her eye as she furiously glared at the Empathic. "I care for _him_. I love _him_. I spent countless days thinking it over in my head if he really did mean anything to me. I didn't want him to – but he _did_. He really did. And he still does. Ash may not be 'my everything' – but he's a part of me that I need just to function 'right'. He keeps me caring about pokémon, he keeps me caring about others, and he keeps me caring about what really matters at the end of all this.

"_And you…_ You girls just waltzed into his life, thinking that just a single moment is enough to make him mean the world to you. That idiotic little puppy love you all hold for him is ridiculous! And now, just because 'Maya' and 'Sato' come along, suddenly Ash means a hundred more things to you… He meant all those things to me from the very beginning. I didn't need some cosmic reason to care for him as much as I do… I didn't need to go through this insane journey just to get to know him for who he was… And Ash didn't need _this_ –" Her arms spread wide. "All of _this_. He didn't need any of _this_. None of us needed _this_. We would've been fine, getting to know Ash on our own, getting on with our lives… All of _this_ is too much. And you girls just treat it like a gamble! You just keep rolling with it, hoping it keeps going, until the arrow points to you and Ash running off together into the sunset! I don't need that. I don't need 'Maya' or 'Sato' or anything else to come up. I'll love Ash regardless, and I'll earn him myself!"

"_So you're going to deny who you are just so you can prove a point?_" Anabel hissed, still defiant towards her.

"What do you mean by that? I'm not denying who I am! If anything, _you girls_ are denying who _you_ are! You forget you're still Anabel and Dawn – with your own lives and stories to tell! Now you just think you're 'Maya', a woman whose life is over with. _Done. Gone._ And you still hold it over your heads like it's what you represent!"

"Except Maya _isn't_ done. She _isn't_ gone. _We're Maya_, Misty!" Anabel pushed her Empathy to an immense level, paralyzing Misty with her furious emotions. "If you want to talk _done and gone_ – you're saying the same thing for Dawn and Ash! Those two experienced being taken away by the darkness, remember?! By all accounts, Ash shouldn't be with us – Dawn shouldn't be with us! You're being a hypocrite with that stupid double-standard of yours! You're just trying to prove your worth to yourself! It's that stubborn pride of yours, just because you wanted to be like Ramie!"

Misty's eyes sharpened at the last statement. She struggled to break out of the freezing hold of Anabel's energy, becoming even more furious when her body refused. With a roar of anger, she broke free – knocking Anabel back with a tackle. The two tumbled and crashed onto the floor, with Misty pinning the Empathic down with an elbow to the neck.

"_Just… like… Ramie…_" Anabel exhaled horribly from her hold.

"YOU TAKE THAT BACK!"

"_Why…? Strike… a nerve?_" A knowing smirk formed across the Empathic's face.

"I'M…" Misty froze. Her mind and heart circled frantically as they soon realized… _she did_. "I'm… I _am_ just like Ramie…" She let go of her victim and sat to the floor. Her eyes were locked in disappointed shock. "I've been acting like Ramie all this time, haven't I?"

Anabel massaged her neck and swallowed hard before speaking, "You _lost_… your temper just like she did. _And_…" She swallowed again, trying to relax her throat. "You even used your will to break my Empathy. A definite Ramie-skill."

"But why? Why _would…_" Misty's voice trailed off, becoming lost in her thoughts.

"You're the wish of Maya to be more like Ramie. Haven't you figured that out yet?"

"I suppose that makes sense. But why is this happening now? Don't get me wrong. I know I've always been jealous of anyone that wrapped their arms around Ash, but… Not like _this_. Never like _this_. I didn't feel this way until after we brought back Ash… I mean, if I've always been like Ramie, shouldn't I have shown signs of _this_ sooner?"

"Possibly it's because Ramie only became possessive over Sato after he got involved with other women? And Sato wasn't back until we brought Ash back?"

"…You're saying I'm getting possessive over Sato now because you two, my other halves, got involved with him?"

"Basically."

Misty ran her fingers through her hair in shame. "_I just got jealous of myself?_"

"Basically." Anabel repeated. "You're enacting the same possessiveness over Sato that Ramie showed against Maya. When Maya or any girl was around, Ramie would suddenly become more involving and protective over Sato."

"…So I'm just going to keep feeling this way?"

"Not if you can help it, I'd hope." The Empathic gave a nervous laugh. "You might still hold that temper of yours, though."

"I'm not going to blame Ramie or Maya for that one." Misty shrugged. "I'll take responsibility for that."

Anabel nodded in understanding.

…

"_I'm sorry for being such a jerk…_" Misty bowed in apology.

Anabel waved off the penitence and smiled. "Hey, we worked through it. So there's nothing to be sorry about."

"Have you known this about me all this time?"

"Not really… I had guesses, but was only sure after this fight."

"I know I certainly would've never guessed it. You sure you aren't a wish to be more like Leanne or Quinn?"

Anabel shook her head. "No clue. It's easy to examine others, but near impossible to make a clear assessment of one's self."

"I'm guessing it's Quinn." Misty responded with a small laugh.

"I'm sure only Sato could tell immediately…"

"Speaking of… Where do we go from here?"

"Hm?"

Misty rolled herself towards the hatchway and knocked on it lightly. "Dawn out there. If she's Maya, and we're not, where do we go from here?"

"…Um…" Anabel looked away, embarrassed to speak about the subject Misty was referring to. "You mean…"

"Yeah, being Maya together…" She scratched at her orange hair, trying to ignore any silly emotions of shyness and embarrassment. "I don't really mind '_sharing_' Ash. I mean, I guess I do. But that's just me being selfish. We're Maya – and I need to get that through my thick skull. I know I'm Misty. And I know I have my own history as her – but I can't deny the fact that I'm Maya either. I mean, if I just get to know you two better… I know I'll be fine with it. Ash… Sato… they deserve the best. And I know we're the best. No matter how many times this universe changes, there's still a Sato and a Maya. And it doesn't matter which Maya came first – we're still Mayas. And Mayas get with Satos. … _I guess._"

Misty was opening up to her. And in a strange perspective, Anabel had felt like Misty was speaking as Ramie instead of as a part of Maya. The wish's influence was stronger than Anabel originally thought it had been… It was a surprise to her that they could still 'unify' as Maya despite their strong differences. "You're right. Um… Misty? Can I ask you a question?"

"What is it?"

"What would Ramie do in a situation like this?"

"Ramie?"

Anabel nodded. "As Mayas, we take signs and feelings as our indication on what to do next. All signs are pointing to the fact that Dawn's Maya now, not us. We're not needed anymore. Sato has his Maya. A full, complete Maya. In Maya's eyes, I think we're supposed to just give up here and just let Dawn take Ash."

"That sounds… pathetic."

"I know. That's why I'm asking you. I'm not comfortable using a Ramie-method to approach this situation, but knowing that you're still a Maya: That's not entirely blasphemous to what we stand for, right?"

"You make us sound like a religious order."

"It helps that I already am religious."

"You are?"

"Doesn't matter. Just answer the question."

Misty stared at the difficult-to-decipher Anabel. The young woman was hardly as mysterious as the Quinns or the Leannes, but she seemed to have her own depth that she never cared to share with others. She decided to drop it. "I guess… Ramie…" Her mind went blank. She could not find a logical or obvious answer. _Maybe it's because Ramie's not logical or obvious. Straightforward maybe, but not obvious. _In her distracted thoughts, she decided to speak without concern, "If Mayas are the best for Satos – and Dawn's a full Maya… then wouldn't three full Mayas be better than one? Making us better than the best?"

…

Anabel wanted to cry and laugh at the ridiculously simplistic answer, but she refused herself and approached the response with professionalism, "You're implying that each of us, just like Dawn, is supposed to become full a Maya on their own? Then what?"

"Yes, and, um, then we… unite?"

"…Is that possible?"

"I suppose." Misty shrugged – she didn't quite understand her own answer, but it felt naturally correct. "We are all pieces of glass. We just all need to face the right way. Wouldn't hurt to try."

"I don't think three shards of glass reflecting the same figure can be put side-by-side to make a unified one."

"Oh… Well… Then maybe we use a different analogy? _How about…_ We're colors from the spectrum, but in different sides? Together, we made single color. Then one of us just changed in hue until they turned into the color we all used to make… So now, we all change in our own hues until we match that color. And instead of affecting the single color – we're all imposed on one another, matching the same color so we can't change each others' hues anymore?"

Anabel applauded. "That sounded more like a Maya answer than a Ramie one. It makes sense. And it might even work! Awesome job, Misty!"

Misty blushed at the praise. "_Thank you._ So for now… If we decide to do this, I say we don't bring it up with Dawn."

"How do you think Dawn did it by herself?"

"Not really sure. But it shouldn't be too hard for us to figure out. If she reached the point of being Maya by simply becoming more like her… What's to stop us from doing the same?"

"Maybe the fact that Dawn was closest to being like Maya than the two of us?"

Misty waved off her fact. "Quit being all pessimistic like Quinn. We can do this."

"And don't be overconfident like Ramie." Anabel shot back. "And yeah, we can."

Misty and Anabel embraced quickly before breaking away and nodding to one another.

"…Time to find May?"

"Time to find May."

* * *

"So that's what's going on…"

"Yeah, and now it's just a constant balancing act. Though, without the Quinns around, I can't really balance their end."

"_I wonder how they're doing…_"

"Same here."

"Hey, Ash? Why didn't you tell me all this sooner? I know why you wouldn't really trust anyone else with this stuff… But you know you could've counted on me if you made it clear enough, right?"

…

…

Maylene sighed. She tapped the back of her head on the side of the crate she leaned against, punishing herself for another stupid question. "Yeah, yeah, I wasn't exactly there for you when you needed me. I'm not going to pretend that I would've been any more dependable if I had finished my fight with Domino sooner… But at least know that I know better now."

Ash turned towards her and nodded. "I'm not doubting that you've gotten better. I just doubted you would've really listened to me while you were stressed like that."

"Remind me: Why _exactly_ was I stressed like that?"

"Hey, you know we didn't have time for a spar."

"Yet we just had one."

"Because you forced it on me."

"Hey, only for the first one. Oh, and where oh where are the consequences for this? Far as I can tell: I don't see any."

"We'll definitely feel it in the morning."

"Eh – we'll get through it. We're probably going to end up doing more paperwork and research anyways."

"Except that there's a Raid we need to prep for. And a few Patrol duties that we should probably be a part of."

"OH CRAP! I FORGOT ABOUT THOSE!" Maylene slammed her head harder against the crate.

Her forgetfulness and honest embarrassment caused Ash to chuckle. Maylene joined him in the laugh, though she found the situation they were in more humorous than her own reaction. Leaning awkwardly against the crates of a forgotten corner in Sector D, the two did their best to find a comfortable position that took pressure and weight away from their sore injuries. Their movements and postures were embarrassing – yet they had been continuing their conversations normally for hours. Ash's laugh had only made their situation obvious.

Following the revealing fight held hours before, Maylene had planned to take Ash back to the Room E-7 to recuperate. Ash, on the other hand, had other plans after regaining consciousness. _'That wasn't a fair fight!'_ were his words that caused another rumble to occur. _'Is that all you got?'_ were his words that challenged for one more. _'Let's keep going.'_ were his words that initiated their last one. Now neither had the energy nor will to continue their melees. All that was left for the two was conversation. And within the last hour, conversation is how the two kept their minds off their painful bruises and scars.

"…_I don't think we've ever really talked this much to each other._" Maylene realized.

"No, we haven't." Ash responded with a wince, adjusting himself to take weight off the curious scratch he found under his foot. "Not if you count when it was just you, me, and Angie on the road together, that is."

"Or if you count our 'sparring sessions'."

"Wasn't the last time we had one when it was just you, me, and Angie?"

"Oh… Yeah, I guess you're right." Maylene rolled onto her back, taking a deep breath in as the crate's cold surface stung the wet scars on her shoulder blades. "Way to keep a gal waiting, by the way."

"I made it worth the wait, didn't I?"

"Yeah… _Yeah, you did._" She smiled dreamily. "I won't forget this one. I definitely won't forget this one."

"I'm glad you enjoyed it."

"Did you?"

"Yeah… Hurts like heck though."

"It's worth every ache and throb."

"I guess so." Ash laughed weakly.

"Hey Ash?"

"Y-Yeah?" The blind Empathic flinched. Maylene's mood had suddenly changed. Though he always had trouble reading her emotions clearly, _unless she's eating or excited_, he seemed to be able to read her clearly now. Whether it was intentional or by accident: Maylene left herself open for him. It was not an ability or a behavior he knew her for.

"Do you remember what happened after the first fight?"

His heart skipped a beat.

"I mean, the first fight we had _tonight_?"

He knew exactly what she meant. Though he only had small lapses of sensation, sound, and memory of what had happened afterwards, Maylene's emotions were showing him _exactly_ what had occurred. He had a feeling – but 'seeing' it was something else entirely. "…U-Um."

Ash was no longer the small boy from Pallet Town. At times, he saw himself that way. At times, others saw him that way. But no one could deny that he had matured and grown considerably since his days as a rookie Trainer. And no one could pretend that he was still naïve about _certain subjects_. What had once been a curiosity that only Ash and Angie would admit to one another – had become the main subject for the entire team: Relationships.

"_If you don't want to talk about it…_"

He didn't. Despite all that he had gone through and all he had experienced between each member of the group – Ash Ketchum never wanted to bring up that subject when so much depended on its conclusion. In introspect, he had no fear of commitment or decision – he had no dread of love or care – he had no yearning to run from a more involved relationship. What he did fear is what any of those may have meant to the others. What they may think – What they might do – And where the team would be and where their objectives would lead to, if he simply discussed it beyond 'what-if's and 'possibly's.

Maylene's eyes seemed to water at his silent answer.

_Is she… crying?_ This wasn't like Maylene. For that, he was sure. He may have not spent as much time with the fighter as he would have liked – but he knew for a fact that she was not the type to cry. She was prone to becoming easily depressed, she could quickly become somber, and she could lose her bright and loud personality – but she was never known as the type to shed tears for any worries. "What's wrong, 'Lene?"

He used the nickname he had given her. She could have sworn it had been years since he had used it, though she _knew_ it had only been weeks. To her surprise, the nickname had affected her terribly. A sharp feeling of desperation hit her chest, forcing her to face him and ask, "_When will you ever give me the chance?_"

Ash blinked in shock. Her choice of words was confusing, but the meaning behind each of them was straightforward… _due to the voice that spoke them_. "Amy?" Sato woke into Ash's consciousness, then quickly faded. Why Sato had disappeared so quickly was completely lost on Ash – but why he appeared so suddenly was obvious. For the short time he was at the fore, Ash had _seen_ Ramie in front of him, not Maylene.

"When will you ever give me the chance?" this time it was Maylene's voice, "_How long…_ do I have to wait until you just give me one chance?" Her voice was cracking as she did her best to hold back her irrational tears. She had never felt this way before, yet she couldn't help but act on the emotions. "It doesn't have to be anything official… _It doesn't have to be a big deal…_ But just give me a chance…"

"_Maylene… We… don't have ti–_"

**KRAK**

The fighter's fist shattered one of the corners of a rotting crate. Maylene did not want to hear him say it. She was tired of hearing him say it. They never had time. _We would never have time_. "_Give me an answer. Just a clear answer. That's all I need._" she growled in frustration as she clumsily wiped away the tears rolling down her cheeks. "Before anybody else asks you. I know they will. I don't need it spelled out for me: You're going to give someone else an answer, a chance, before you ever get to me. And you'll never drop them. Because that's how you are. And that's fine… But that also isn't fair!

"We're going to drift apart after you get with one of the Mayas, or Quinns, or Leannes, or even one of the other Ramies_! And… I'll never get my chance._ Because I was never a serious consideration to you. I mean, heck, I know I'm not into this romance stuff like they are, but how am I supposed to know for sure? You're the only one I've ever been interested in this way, Ash. And you're a good guy. Heck, you're probably one in a million. And if you get with anyone, they're going to lock you up and never let you out – _especially _around me. That fight we just had? It was special. _Every_ fight we have is special. And it's something no one else can experience, _because there's no one else like you and me…_ They're going to get jealous about that. Envious about it. And by every right, they'd keep us apart. And I'd stupidly respect that. And I'll just move on in life. I'm fine with that."

Maylene staggered, pushing herself to walk towards Ash. Her body ached, her muscles cramped, and she could barely move forward in a straight line – yet she continued her path. "What I'm _not_ fine with is how you're just going to move on as if I never asked." She finally reached Ash's side of the crates, staring down at him in disappointment. "I've asked more than once, Ash. And I'm not even counting Ramie for this one. I may not have said the exact words every time I've asked, but I was pretty clear about what I meant. _So… Please… Just answer the question._ I can take a 'no'. But I can't take a 'wait'. I can't stand waiting around for an answer anymore, Ash. It's nothing but busywork until I get one! Just tell me now: _**Will you go out with me?**_"

…

…

After finally putting the question into voice, Maylene and Ash realized how ridiculously adolescent it had all been.

Ash began laughing. After all the drama that had built up and the damage had been done by the torrent of emotions – it had ended with a completely innocent question. He couldn't believe how simple it was; how juvenile and adorable it all was. The weight of time and effort they put into the subject and its intentions was absurd when faced with what it ultimately amounted to: A date. Just a single, unsophisticated date.

Maylene, on the other hand, wasn't laughing. Her face was flushed red and her eyes were watering again. "_Sh-Shut up!_ It's not funny! _This…_ This is really hard for me, and –" She burst out laughing, unable to ignore Ash's contagious laugh. "Okay, so maybe it is funny! B-But! **You need to answer me, Ash!**" She did her best to wipe the smile off her face.

The blind Empathic covered his mouth and snorted the last of his laugh into his hands. "U-Um… OK."

…

"…O…K?"

"Yeah, OK." Ash repeated with a grin. "I'll go out with you."

…

Maylene dropped to the floor, her eyes wide in disbelief. She landed with her back against Ash's legs. "_That's it?_ That's what I got myself worked up for?"

"Yup." Ash snickered.

…

She tugged on his pant leg childishly. "So what now? Do we just say we're dating? And… go out for coffee or something?"

"I'm not really a fan of coffee… And I think we need to find a time when we're both free first."

"Well, I'm not really doing anything tomorrow morning."

"Other than rolling around in pain on your bed from your sores."

"I can force myself to freshen up… I don't really have much 'date' clothes, though."

"Neither do I."

"At least you have shoes."

The two laughed again.

Maylene looked up at Ash – the one she had been pursuing this whole journey, the one she had been waiting for this entire time. She never seriously considered that she could end up in a relationship, yet here she was – _even if the relationship might not be as serious as others would take it… I wonder where this would lead._ "So where do you want to go?"

"Maybe we could explore the new Hearthome City together?"

"I doubt Leanne will be keen on letting us go out there for little reason."

"I'm on Thinker duty tomorrow, actually." Ash pointed out. "Maybe…"

"Who's paired up with you?"

"May."

Maylene's eyes squinted. "_Ooooh_, that's not good. She will _not_ be up for me switching for her spot. Do we have any other open slots?"

"Unless we have another meeting, only thing I'm sure of is probably our lunch hours and maybe during late nights."

"Then we can probably go for a late night date… I doubt we'll have much peace if people see us having a date during lunch."

Ash sighed and slid down to a sitting position next to Maylene. "_Misty's going to kill me for not getting that much sleep…_ Also, are we calling this a 'dating relationship' to others? Or are we sticking to a 'private relationship' deal?"

She shrugged. "Honestly, I don't know. I kind of don't even know what I'm doing with this… I never had a boyfriend."

…

"…So you're my girlfriend?"

"…I guess so."

The two sat in silent thought. Admittedly, they had never seen the other as anything other than a partner or associate. In hindsight, the two had realized they had never even considered the other as a friend. In each other's eyes, they were just Ash and Maylene: fighting partners. But now…

_He's my boyfriend… Ash is my boyfriend!_ Maylene jabbed her elbow hard into Ash's rib.

"OW! What was that for?"

She grinned mischievously. "You're technically my property now."

"What?"

"You're _my_ boyfriend. And now you gotta' listen to what _your_ girlfriend tells ya'!"

"O-Okay…"

…

…

"Not that I'd know what to tell you." Maylene laughed in embarrassment. "Er… Get some sleep! I need you awake and rested by tomorrow's date!" She shoved him to his feet. "Come on, go."

"I'm going, I'm going…" Ash rubbed at his ribs and coughed. "_Would've probably left sooner if you didn't hit me…_"

"Quit whining and go. I'll catch up."

The Empathic nodded weakly and limped down the corridor.

Maylene pulled herself up. She stared at the dimmed fluorescent lamps above, wondering how much time had passed since she first dragged Ash into the abandoned corner. _Just that many hours ago, Maylene was just a single Gym Leader with no real hope for a relationship or a boyfriend. And look at me now… Got my hands on the biggest trophy in our team._ She snickered to herself. _And all I had to do was ask._

"_Satisfied?"_

Maylene jumped in surprise. With a quick spin and flex, she pushed herself into combat stance in the direction of the voice. Though her body sorely twitched in defiance to her commands, she pushed it to keep focus. However, her guard dropped as soon as she found who had spoken…

…_May._


	10. Prospects

"All these schedule-changes in such a short time. It's baffling that we actually still hold a schedule." Leanne frustratingly crossed out several lines from her paper and began to write over them. Sticky-notes and placeholders were attached to different portions of the notebook to remind her of the changes she was currently fixing. Another three were added, and two were removed and replaced. "_These people seriously need more discipline…_ Isn't that right, Sato?"

"_Hm? Who needs what now?_"

"A-AH! S-Sato! Y-You're awake!" Leanne tensed and laughed in embarrassment. "D-Don't mind me… _I was just talking to you while you were asleep…_"

Sato slowly rolled himself to his back, groggily moaning throughout the entire process. "_Ow- ow- ow- ow…_"

"Don't move too quickly now, I had to patch you up this morning. Whatever fights you had with Maylene last night, put you in pretty bad shape."

"_Maylene…? Fights?_" He rubbed his eyes and blinked them hard. "_Morning…?_ MORNING?" With a jolt of excruciating energy, Sato shoved himself off the bed. "_OUCH!_ I – I'm late for my Thinker duty!"

"Don't strain yourself over it. You won't need to start until another hour. It's still the early morning shift running – Tracey and Angie aren't finished with their round." Leanne massaged the injured man's shoulders. While doing so, she checked his bandages and his temperature – ensuring that she kept herself busy with more than one task at a time. "I have a question for your shift, Sato, _if it's alright for me to ask…_"

"Mm?"

"Do you need a replacement? I know it's only Thinker duty, but I can get someone else to take your place if you're not feeling well enough."

"No. No, I'll be fine. I'll probably just find some spot to sit while I'm up there."

"You'll need the fresh air as well." The Battle Analyst moved around him and flashed a light into his eyes. "After this I need to replace some of your bandages, just to let you know."

Sato looked down and stared at his bandages. Feeling around his body, he noticed they were in 'hard to reach' areas as well. "Um… Leanne? Who put on my bandages?"

"I told you: I did."

"…All of them?"

"It isn't the first time, Sato." Her face turned slightly pink. "And please, I'm doing this professionally… You know how the others get when they have to take care of you."

"Speaking of others… Where is everyone?" He sat up and scanned the almost empty room of E-7. A few pokémon outside of their pokéballs encircled and followed a troubled Todd and a fascinated Tonya – pushing for their morning meal. Only Pikachu and Espeon seemed to ignore the human feeders, finding more interest in sleeping in a pile of laundry. The complete scene only reminded Sato that their next meeting needed to concern itself with the subject of allowing the pokémon some time outside the base and possibly becoming more integrated with the HBR.

Before his thoughts could drift off completely, Leanne answered his question, "They're having breakfast." Sato's stomach growled on cue. "Not to worry, I've made a little meal for you!" She cheerfully clapped and pulled up a tray from underneath his bed.

The Aura Guardian leaned forward and carefully sniffed the items on the tray. From his senses, he could tell the items looked and smelled absolutely delicious – however, his memories prevented him from drooling over or desiring to devour the food. _Leanne wasn't always the best cook…_ As far back as he could recall, Farron was the chef of the old team. Before he had come along, they all had to depend on their subpar cooking abilities, and Leanne was admittedly the most subpar of them all. "…Is… Is it safe?" he thoughtlessly questioned.

The comment earned him a flick on one of his wounds. "For your information, I've improved quite a bit in my cooking skills. That Bianca is quite the quick learner."

"Then why haven't you cooked for us before?"

Leanne's face turned an obvious pink. "_B-Because…_ I w-wanted you to be the first to try my cooking…" She covered her expression with her hair and moved slightly away from the bed. Her overly shy reaction was a trademark Leanne-behavior, one that Sato was quite familiar with – though he knew it was only the surface of who she was. It was not as endearing for Sato anymore, as it was a disappointing reminder that he still knew very little of the Analyst.

Compared to the others, Leanne and Sato were never as close as they wanted to be with one another. Time and circumstances had kept the both of them too distant and busy to spend proper time together – a problem the two had hoped to have remedied at some point within their lifetime. Outside of finding the time and place to do so, as they could never find it, Leanne had always made the time and chosen the place by acting as Sato's direct assistant. It was a position she had chosen for convenience's sake – and a position she had earned, rather than was made for.

While the other members of the old team had direct uses of their skills and abilities within several missions and dangers they constantly found themselves in, Leanne had no such benefit. Before becoming involved with Sato and his task to rescue the world from Team Rapture's control, she was an average Pokémon Researcher… and nothing more. Her now-signature skills in lightning-fast organization and impossibly-perfect memorization of data were never a part of her previously. Through trial, discipline, and extreme focus, Leanne had built her skills from the ground up – all in an effort to help Sato on his world-changing journey.

Her beyond-impressive dedication to their cause had made Sato more interested in getting to know the Pokémon Researcher. She returned the interest by providing her newfound abilities for his personal benefit. She became his secretary, his tactician, his technician, and his nurse. Leanne provided him anything and everything he would ever want or need outside of what the others could offer – and it was in that role that the two had become close. Though the two knew it was hardly as close as they preferred.

Leanne was reserved, introverted, and often reclusive. The Pokémon Researcher had little close relations with others outside of pokémon and her now-gone direct family. Her only comfort had originally been within pokémon and her work and research on them. Socializing with fellow humans was an action she found extreme anxiety and confusion in. As such, Sato was her first real human 'friend' – and the only one she was willing and wanting to open up to.

Despite this desire, she had never gained the chance to fully open up to Sato. Often being dragged away by dangers and other relations, Sato's interactions with Leanne only found time in professional settings. And yet it was in this environment that the two had been left yearning.

Sato wanted time to get to know Leanne – to open her up – to find out who she was and what she wanted in life. He wanted to see what made her tick, and what drove her to keep going. There was a treasure hidden inside the Researcher's locked personality, and he wanted her to unlock it – he wanted her to become her absolute best. Her shyness and hesitation, however, had made such a task near impossible. Contradictions and indecisions clouded and littered her emotions, preventing any such efforts to find fruition. And so Leanne stayed distant, nervous, and continuously awkward… towards herself and towards others.

Time never changed these barriers, no matter how much the two desired it.

But circumstances have.

Sato reached over the plate and grabbed the spoon that was placed on the opposite side of him. With a leap of faith and a hope for the best, the Aura Guardian scooped a large portion of the strange rice-meal and shoved it into his mouth.

He swallowed… and opened his eyes in surprise. "_This…_ This is pretty good!"

Leanne's face lit up. "Y-You mean it?"

"Keep improving and –" Sato devoured three larger scoops of the food before continuing, "And you might actually give Ritchie a run for his money!"

Leanne's face turned a bright red. The compliment was too much for her, and she doubted that he meant those words… but it was everything she had ever wanted.

Where time had failed them again and again, circumstances had changed everything between the Aura Guardian and the former Pokémon Researcher. The two still had no time to get to know one another – but now they had the opportunities.

Within their original team of five members, Leanne could never get the chance to spend personal time with Sato due to how much the others always needed his presence. In a team so small, everyone needed each other's presence at one point or another just to function well. Unlike the others, however, Leanne never seemed to require anyone's emotional support in order to continue her performance at peak efficiency – so she never bothered. This lack of need had virtually erased all necessary time they could have used to socialize. And though she knew she was guilty for it, Leanne had never given the effort to mend this problem due to her fears of social repercussions. She had only hoped the opportunity would lend itself.

Now within a team far too large to keep any of its members wanting: Leanne had found her opportunity. Occupied with their wide assortment of schedules, tasks, and personal hobbies, the new team of Mayas, Ramies, and Farrons were now too busy interacting with one another to demand the Aura Guardian's complete attention. This had left a large gap for Leanne to finally make her first steps in opening up to Sato.

From asking questions that had nothing to do with missions or future plans, to clumsy tries at humor and wit, to her current victory with cooking: Leanne was beginning to lose the last remaining traces of apprehension towards Sato.

Realizing this, she smiled.

Sato smiled back. "Mm – sho ish May alrehie waitihm owh fehr foh mi?"

"Um… Excuse me?"

"Ah." He chewed the food in his mouth and swallowed. "I said is May already waiting out there for me?"

"May?"

"For the Thinker duty. She is scheduled to do that with me today, right?"

Leanne blinked and shook her head, realizing what he was referring to. "Right, I forgot to tell you…" Adjusting her glasses, the Analyst began to flip through several pages of one of her notebooks. "_…forgot… to tell you… that… Ah_, here it is. Maylene is taking her place for the morning shift with you. May wanted to move her schedule to… _Let's see…_ Tomorrow afternoon, taking Misty's place – except it isn't Misty's place anymore, it's Gary's. And Misty is scheduled for tonight, which was Gary's spot, but Gary had already taken Maylene's place."

Looking up from her notes, she noticed Sato eating as fast as he could while he packed a few items into his bag. "Um… You know you have a good amount of time before your schedule starts, yes?"

Sato nodded. "I know, but I don't want to keep her waiting." Grabbing a water bottle, he chugged its contents in seconds. "Don't want to be late for my first date."

"…_Date?_"

He stopped in his tracks. "Oh… Er… Not _my_ date. Um… _Ash's_ date."

Leanne twitched. Her form had almost split into its individual parts, but was held back together at the last second. "…_Ash's date?_"

"Well, you see, the thing is…" The Analyst's once-muddled emotions sharpened into a single, clear feeling. As a fully-awake Sato, he had no access to Ash's use of Empathy – yet the Aura Guardian could feel the destructive change in the atmosphere. "Last night… Um…"

"Last night, Ash and I hooked up." Maylene suddenly appeared from behind Sato. The pink-haired Gym Leader wrapped her arm around the Aura Guardian teasingly. "And today, he owes me a date."

Leanne's eyes narrowed.

"Th-Thing is, um…" Sato could tell that Leanne was beginning to close herself off completely. All the effort she had gone through in order to find trust and partnership in humans was beginning crack and shatter. That was the last thing he wanted. But without the necessary time to think, he had no idea what to say towards the introverted Analyst. He could only hope that the Bianca from Unova would prevent the whole of Leanne from sealing herself.

"Oh don't worry your pretty hair over it, Leanne!" Maylene pulled at Sato's neck with her arm and ruined his already bed-made hair. "It's just a date. And it's just me. Don't think I'm gonna' go run off into the sunset with him or anything like that. Just see it as two guys hanging out, OK?"

…

"_Would you rather I date him as Ramie?_" Maylene continued to push.

Leanne exhaled slowly through her nose. "Be sure to keep your mind on the objective." her tone was cold and withdrawn, yet it held no spite or bitterness. She then waved the two off and returned to her paperwork.

Maylene eyed Sato's expression and gave him a smug grin. He raised his eyebrow towards her in response. Dragging him out of Room E-7, the fighter drilled her fist into his elbow. "_See?_ I can handle her. No worries."

"I suppose so…"

"Now get outta' here. I'm on a date with Ash, not you, _oldie_."

Sato laughed nervously before closing his eyes and receding into the subconscious. The body he had occupied became noticeably shorter, and the ever-evident scar faded back onto his eyes. Ash had regained his body… and was still asleep.

He fell backwards, snoring loudly. Maylene crouched quickly and prevented him from hitting the floor. With a tug and a pull, she began to drag him down the corridor. "Hey! Wake up! Shoot… How are you so heavy?"

* * *

"In the Storm Room, we have Angie, Gary, and Todd! You three will be training under their morning schedule."

"What? But I just got off Thinker duty! At least give me time to sleep."

"This isn't up for debate, Angie. You should have had plenty of sleep last night." Leanne denied the tomboy's request and moved on, "Be sure to keep an eye on their training methods and their most promising recruits. We need to find out how best to assess and approach their teams' capabilities for the upcoming Raid, so this is important."

"I know a few –"

"Todd, you were told to not allow Tonya in the room for this meeting. Please remove her."

"Oh come on, Leanne. She's –"

"Not up for debate."

The Photographer sighed. He escorted his guest from the room while muttering under his breath.

"As the noon Patrol team is heading out in the next hour, I need Tracey, Anabel, and Misty to prep their bags and ready to leave in the next thirty minutes or less! Do your best to help and learn from them. Treat them as you'd treat our own group."

A hand was raised.

"No debates, please. Thank you."

The hand remained raised. Leanne continued to ignore it. "With the –" Her next words were cut by a loud cough… from the one with the raised hand. "I said no debates."

"Not a debate, ma'am! Request to join the Patrol!"

"You're already planned for something else, Dawn. I'll get around to it."

"Not to offend, ma'am, but I don't think it would be beneficial for me to be on watch duty again for the pokémon."

Leanne looked up from her notebook and eyed the blue Coordinator. She wasn't entirely sure how Dawn had figured out which duty she would be scheduled for, but she concluded that it would have been a safe guess that she would be dropped into that position once again… _considering that the Coordinator didn't have much use in the other fields._ "Noted. However, you aren't fit for Patrol duty."

"Neither is a Sketch-Artist who is in need of sleep, ma'am."

…

The Battle Analyst's hand ran through her golden hair, desperately wishing that something would just stay according to plan. She didn't have time for this. And she was quite tired of giving into everyone's opportunity when she could never keep her own… "Very well, you'll be trading out for Tracey. Angie, you're out of the Storm Room and will be assisting Tracey in Pokémon Monitor duties."

"_Yesss._ Thanks, Dawn." Angie tiredly cheered.

"Bianca will be taking your place in the Storm Room."

Angie snorted.

Leanne shook her head. "Would you rather perform in the Storm Room?"

"No thank you. Laugh retracted." she immediately responded.

"Very well then. BiBi and Latias will be in charge of tutoring the Resistance members on Pokémon. If anyone is in need of them, they can be found in Room A-4. Again, that's Room A-4 for anyone that needs to speak to the Alto Mare Bianca or her latias! Any questions!"

Angie raised her hand. "Where's May?"

"I'd like to know that myself." Leanne sighed. "For now, we will consider her absent from her duties. Are there any other questions!"

…

"Meeting concluded! Locate yourselves to your assigned rooms and duties!" Leanne nodded and turned away from the crowd.

The group split and hovered towards their jobs for the day.

Tracey, however, separated completely and approached Leanne. "Hey… Are you okay?"

The Analyst didn't turn towards him. She busied herself with clearing up the whiteboard behind her… which became futile when she realized that she had accidentally used permanent markers. _"…Dominique was the only one with nail polish removers in her bags."_ she muttered to herself.

"Leanne…"

She turned, massaging her forehead._ "Now I have to bother the Resistance soldiers for a remover…"_

"I can ask them for you."

"Thank you Sketchit. That would be very much appreciated."

The Sketch-Artist lightly held the golden-haired Analyst still by the sleeve. "Leanne. What's wrong?"

…

"I know something's wrong. …You look tired."

"I didn't get much sleep."

"You wrote on the board with the wrong markers…"

"We all make mistakes. And that's what the remover's for."

"…You started a meeting without Ash or Sato."

…

"It has something to do with him, doesn't it?"

"I must be going. Take care of the board for me." She moved his hand away and headed for the room's exit.

"You're not usually this obvious either, Leanne."

She stopped halfway. "…What do you want, Sketchit?"

"I just want you to know that I'm here for you…"

"Thank you Sketchit. But what I need right now is for you to leave me alone."

"…Oh, okay."

"Don't take it personally. I just need time to clear my thoughts before I have anyone attempting to fix them for me."

"_Right…_ Right, I understand. Come talk to me when you need to, okay?"

"I'll consider the offer." She turned back towards the door and exited.

Tracey stood by the whiteboard, staring at the room slowly empty of its occupants. He sighed and began to clean up after the meeting's mess. _"He isn't worth worrying over, you know…"_

* * *

Hearthome City. The 'Warm & Kind' city that sat at the heart of Sinnoh. Within another time and reality, its several attractions and competitions had made it a popular destination for Trainers and Coordinators alike. From its hotels, to clubs, to squares, to halls and stadiums; the city of Hearthome was a world within a world – a place where one could live out their entire lives within its boundaries and never uncover all it had to offer. And to many visitors' surprise: Hearthome City offered all this without becoming a bustling metropolis.

For everything it represented and owned, Hearthome contained its busied activities within a peaceful haven. Its districts were filled with trees and large, open spaces occupied by plant and animal life. There were as many parks and forested areas of rest as there were buildings of commerce. With its balance of civilization and nature, one could have considered it to be a paradise, many had already considered it to be a home away from home, and all had considered it to be a place of 'warm & kind' atmospheres. Its year-long mild weather, its calming and pleasant air, its friendly and helpful residents, and its slow-trickling events and festivals all benefited the city's title. It was a place Sinnoh could be proud of having as its heart.

That, however, was in another time and reality.

Hearthome City lay before them now as a twisted version of what it had once been. Trash and unknown debris littered and marked the floors and walls of forgotten streets and buildings. The buildings themselves were menacing figures – pocked with bullet holes and stained with hopefully-nots at their base, they crawled several floors high as windowless bastions to a war no one was a witness to. There were nearly uncountable amounts of them, separated from one another by claustrophobic alleyways that twisted and turned into quick dead-ends and frightening chokepoints. At their borders stood more buildings – made of wood and rusted steel, the outer structures showed the city's futile attempts of expanding for their infinitely-growing populace.

The most unsettling trait of Hearthome City was the fact that its "infinitely-growing populace" was nowhere to be found. The city lay silent; void of life and movement. Like a hive that had been mysteriously abandoned: the ghosts of what had occurred and what could never have were now its only occupants. It was a lost battlefield, a graveyard of hope, and the heart of Sinnoh.

"Pretty depressing, isn't it?" Maylene shrugged as she leaned against a dimming lamp post. "You know, people from all over Veilstone would keep talking about this place. Always saying how beautiful and amazing it was. Kinda' made me want to take a vacation out here someday."

She massaged her neck and frowned. "Then when I was sent to survey this place for you guys, I thought I'd finally get a chance to see what all the hubbub was about. Lo and behold, I found it like this. Nothing like the brochures, if you ask me." She snickered awkwardly.

Ash was at a loss for words. Her descriptions of the surroundings he could not see were too different from the Hearthome City he had known. He did not know where to start to express his disappointment and sadness for what had happened to the once 'Warm & Kind' city. He did not know if there was anything left to say or feel that hundreds, if not thousands of others had already expressed for the now-lost city of Hearthome.

"You said the lights were working… Why would they be working?" a logical question was his answer to the moment. Knowledge of whys acted as a buffer for depression. It was a lesson he had learned from Sabrina.

"Not the question you should be asking." Maylene seemed to be holding back a smirk. "Ask another one."

"…Where is everyone?"

"Bingo. Answer is: In Hearthome."

"They're the Resistance?"

The fighter kicked at the lamp post. "Darnit! You ruined the fun of me giving the answer!" She sighed. "Got it right. The people of Hearthome now work as the HBR. It's one of the reasons why they're the largest Resistance group here in Sinnoh: An entire city's population went underground to fight off the Empire's grasp in this region."

"And Hearthome still stands as their surface fortress as well as their dealing grounds for any black markets or underground groups?"

"…You just love taking the fun out of revealing secrets, don't ya'?"

"_But if the entire city went underground… _Then why are there so few of them down there? There's hardly a thousand members in the HBR…"

"…You're going to answer this yourself, aren't you?"

"Either they're hiding them off in a section we don't know about… or they've split off to start new groups or help the other Resistance branches. Maybe both."

"_And the next question is…_"

"Why are all news stations in Sinnoh still reporting on Hearthome City as if it's still functioning?"

"_And the next answer is…_"

"As a form of counter-intelligence or as a false fact to keep the rest of Sinnoh ignorant?"

"_Which means…_"

"Hearthome City was a vital spot for the Rocket Empire. And the HBR aren't staying defensive because they can't take on the Empire's forces… but because they're _protecting_ something here that the Empire wants."

"Exactly." Maylene applauded.

"Have you known this the entire time?" Ash faced at the fighter with curiosity.

She finally let out her smirk. "_I had a hunch._ I had no real facts to base it off of, but I knew if someone smart took a look at it they could confirm it for me."

"Heh… _Thanks!_"

"For what?" She blinked.

"You just called me smart."

"Don't let it get to your head. I never said you confirmed it for me."

"…Oh."

Maylene pressed herself away from the lamp post and approached Ash. She punched him playfully on the arm. "You're an easy one to disappoint, aren't ya'?" She laughed. "Buck up, kid! I was just kidding! I _do_ think you're smart!"

"Y-You do?"

"Mm? What's with the surprise? You don't get compliments much?"

"Not really… Especially not in the smarts-department."

"Ash, you're the third smartest person in our team. You don't need a compliment for something you obviously are."

"What? Third smartest?"

"Yeah, just under Sabrina. I think Bianca's got Sabrina beat, if you ask me. _Don't tell Sabrina that… she'll kill me_."

Ash searched into Maylene with strange interest, wondering if she was holding any form of sarcasm. Much to his complete shock: She wasn't. "…You really think so? But what about you? You're definitely smarter than me, Maylene."

She snorted. "Pff! No way! You can outthink me _easily_ in most situations."

"But you're so level-headed and –"

"Before you make me punch you until you shut up, know that I'm not too fond of being swept off my feet with compliments."

"…OK."

Maylene laughed heartily and punched Ash across the arm. "Thanks for trying to make me feel better though. I know I'm hardly leadership material ever since Sabrina came along. Heck, things have changed since she got involved. Now _you're_ the head of the team. Funny how things work out, eh?"

…

Ash began walking down one of the alleyways, encouraging the fighter to follow. He smiled as she caught up. "_That feels like an eternity ago…_"

"…Yeah," Maylene nodded. "Just you, me, and Angie. Going on a crazy adventure to save your mom and the rest…"

"And before that, too…"

"When you invited me over to your house?"

"And before that…"

"Heh… I didn't know you then. We only met at my Gym before that, when I was having problems with my confidence."

"Isn't that weird?"

"What? Confidence issues? Not really. I have that every now and then."

"No…" Ash felt around the object in front of him. With a grunt, he leapt up to a hanging ladder. "Not that. I meant… Isn't it weird that we didn't really know each other that much and yet here we are?"

Maylene followed him up the ladder with ease. "Not really. I mean, we went through a lot. So it's not too strange."

"What I mean to say is: I've travelled a lot. I've met and been with a lot of people throughout my journeys. But I've never been in a relationship with any of them. Not even a single date. You're my first."

"…_You're my first, too, Ash. _Where are you going, anyways?"

He climbed into an open window and landed loudly into an abandoned room. "Exploring. And I think what I'm really trying to point out is the fact that… _Well…_ I thought I'd end up dating Misty or Angie first. Or someone else. I kind of didn't expect to have my first date with you."

"I bet you didn't expect your first date to be at an abandoned city either." Maylene snickered as she swung herself through the window. She landed with a spin. Ash applauded, despite not seeing her exact stunt – she bowed regardless. "And besides… What's wrong with me? I know I'm not the most attractive gal here, but I've got my positives. You're not exactly a hunk."

"N-Not what I meant."

"You sure have a hard time saying what you mean."

"What I _mean-mean_ is: I don't know _you_ that well." Ash clarified with a cough. "I know Misty. I know Angie. I know a lot of the people on our team really well… But you? I don't really know much about you, 'Lene. Before we went out on this journey, I hadn't even spent a full day with you. And even the days we spent together after, I didn't really get to know you that well."

"Hey, that hurts. I thought we got to know each other through our fists."

"Well yeah, _there's that…_" His fingers traced along the walls, feeling every crack and texture hidden within the room. Memories of what might-have-happened and what-this-could-have-been filled his mind. "But the two of us never really hung out outside of fighting…"

"…_I don't really know how to 'hang out' outside of fighting, Pokémon Battles, and eating…_" she admitted, embarrassed. "Do you… want to have a Pokémon Battle?"

"…I forgot to invite Pikachu. And I didn't bring any poké balls."

"_Ah._ Well… I don't think there's any food here."

Ash's somber thoughts of the room suddenly vanished as he laughed at the fighter's simple outlook.

"What's so funny?"

"We can hang out in different ways, you know… I mean, we're hanging out right now."

"We are?" Maylene looked around the room. It had taken her seconds to realize that the two of them were not currently involved in a mission, _unless you count 'thinking' as a mission_. In a few seconds more, she realized that neither of them was prepping for a fight, a battle, or a meal. This was no training session. This was no meeting. This was no after-battle conversation. This was no tactical assessment. And this was no formal discussion.

The two of them were talking. For no real reason other than to talk. No fighting, no eating, no mind games involved. It may have been the first normal conversation she had ever held with someone outside of her time in the Academy. "_There's a lot of 'firsts' about you, Ash._"

"Huh?" He turned towards her direction, flinching as his hair got caught on one of the cracks in the wall. "_Ow-ow…_"

She giggled at his predicament. "I said there's a lot of 'firsts' about you. You're the first guy to ever get me excited about getting into a fist fight with. The first one who could ever talk to me through their fists. The first one who ever got me daydreaming about them. The first guy to treat me out to a nice meal. First person I've ever dated. And now you've got me talking to you like… we're normal or something. I never really had a talk like that. First time."

"Wait. You daydream about me?"

"You're a nice guy, Ash…" She seemed to ignore his last question. "And if you want to count when you invited me to your house: _You technically took me over to meet your mother, so…_"

"I guess so. Wait. What?"

"_The problem here is…_" She approached him and helped him get the last of his hair out of the cracks. Before he could thank her, she pinned his shoulders against the wall. "_Ramie kissed you. I didn't._"

Her lips pressed against his for the second time. Yet it was the first the two of them were fully aware of. The soft, warm, wet touch of his lips tempted Maylene for more. She pushed herself clumsily onto him. The hot breaths that exhaled from his nostrils skimmed and embedded themselves against her skin, encouraging her to stay. Her hands let go of his shoulders and awkwardly wrapped themselves around his waist. He fit comfortably in her hold, tantalizing her to explore. Her fingers slipped into his shirt…

She pulled herself away before she could go any further. "_Ah… Hah… Ahm…_" Her face was flushed red. Wobbling to keep herself from falling over, Maylene took a moment to notice that it was taking a massive amount of effort for her to stay focused. Light-headed and feeling strangely 'hot', the fighter struggled to snap herself back into her earlier sense of the world. "_There…_ There we go. First kiss. _Better._ Lot better."

Ash was breathing hard. His blanked eyes remained wide open – his face completely pink.

What had been a spontaneous action of affection for the Veilstone City Gym Leader, had been a terrifying and enticing experience for Ash. His blindness had made his other senses acute. Every touch, from her rough lips that turned smooth to her powerful fingers that turned gentle – every taste, from the strong flavor of coffee in her breath to the surprisingly sweet sugar remains that clung to her mouth – every smell, from the fading stench of sweated skin to the uniquely alluring scent that came from her hair – every sound, from the creaking of the walls that their weight pressed against to the extremely light moans that the fighter didn't realize she made – every sense that came from Maylene's kiss had forcibly trapped Ash into a moment of passion he never realized he would find attraction to.

"I… uh…"

"You want to take it a step further?"

"What?!"

Maylene snorted and slapped her palm against his shoulder. "Pff! Calm down, Ash. Even you should know you can't ask for that on the first date."

"_**WHAT?!**_"

She chortled loudly, much to his embarrassed irritation. "Oh learn to take a joke, Ashy! I'm just having fun with ya'."

Ash's cheeks turned a deep pink. His mind rushed in circles trying to find a topic to change to. At the moment, he knew the fighter would have far too much fun teasing reactions out of him. "_S_-So… How did you switch off with May?"

Maylene's laugh quickly disappeared at the mention of the Coordinator. She cleared her throat. "Hm? Switch what with who now?"

"May. For the Thinker duty with me. She was scheduled for the morning duty with me. How did you convince her to switch with you? I doubt it would've been an easy negotiation."

"Ah… Well… Did you know she caught us last night?"

"Caught us?"

"Us dating. She found out."

"…That doesn't sound good."

"No, it wasn't. Sh–" Maylene blinked and tilted her head at Ash. "_Wait._ You're not blind to any of this, are you?"

"Technically I am."

"Oh har-dee-har. You know what I mean! You probably knew she was there the whole time!"

"Possibly…"

"Yet you still said 'yes' to me… Why?"

"You asked."

"I asked?"

"You asked." he repeated. "No one has really asked me out. They hint at it, they suggest it, or they joke about it. But no one has ever really asked…"

"So you're saying if anyone, _absolutely anyone_, came up to you and asked you out first. You would've said yes?"

"No…"

"But you just said you only said 'yes' to me because I asked."

"Not really. I said '_you_ asked'. I don't know how I would've reacted if anyone else asked. But when you asked… it felt like a 'yes'."

Maylene pulled her fist back, then pulled it down, then pulled it back again; unsure of how to react. "Is this a compliment?"

Ash waved in quick pacification. "N-No, not at all. I'm just saying that, _well_… I felt fine with you asking. And it felt like the right decision to say 'yes'. I dunno. I'm not always thinking about long run stuff… It just felt _right_ at that moment."

"…That doesn't answer my question: If you knew May was there, then why did you say 'yes' to me in front of her?"

"Are those two things related?"

"YES! _I mean… Wait. No… Um…_" The fighter growled in frustration. "Now you've got me confused! Why wouldn't those two things be related?"

"Did she ask me at that moment?"

"No, but…"

"Then it was just you asking me. She just happened to be there."

"But – uh… But what about your relationship with her?"

Ash sighed and slid down to a sitting position. Maylene followed after him.

The two of them sat in silence before he answered, "What about Misty? Angie? Anabel? Bianca? Dawn? Sabrina? What about everyone?"

She nodded. "Yeah. What about them? _Shoot, you're a Casanova…_"

He ignored the last comment. "What I'm saying is: If I had a problem with saying 'yes' to you in front of May, then I'd have a problem saying 'yes' to you without her there either. If it's my relationship with her that I'm concerned about, then I wouldn't have said 'yes' to you. If it's my relationship with anyone else that I'm concerned about, then I wouldn't say 'yes' to anyone at all."

"So you're not concerned at all?"

Ash groaned. He dragged his fingers across his hair. "Of course I'm concerned… _But would it be better to say 'no'?_ If I said 'no' to them, then what am I saying to them?"

"That you love someone else?"

"No… it's saying that I _don't_ love them. Or choose _not_ to love them…"

"No man can serve two masters, Ash."

"_Not the point…_ The point is losing that connection I have between them. It's going to change into something more distant or going to disappear completely if I said 'no' to any of them. _Just like…_" He fell silent; his mind and heart fading to a place where Maylene couldn't follow.

"…Ash? …Just like what?"

He tilted his head up and towards her. His eyes remained blank, yet they invited her to look into them. "_Maylene?_"

"Yeah?"

"How would you feel if you could never see me again? If you could never see me the same way again? If we could no longer fight the way we do?"

Within his eyes, Maylene knew Ash was drowning in strong emotions; emotions that she herself could not even begin to express. Maylene was no good with emotions. She rarely knew what to do with her own or how to rightfully feel them. The few that she was familiar with were simple ones that even a child could understand. But in Ash's eyes were emotions she could not understand – should not understand. They were old emotions. Ancient. Tempered and refined. She had no right to believe that she could give them the satisfaction they sought.

But she wanted to – and so she would try.

"I'd be sad. Depressed, maybe." She shrugged her shoulders and looked away from his eyes. "But what can I do? If I have to move on in life, the best thing I can do at that point is forget that connection and try to find a new one…"

"Exactly." Ash gave a smile… a sad smile. "And once it's forgotten, _it's gone_."

…

The room fell silent.

A heavy emotion filled the air – one that was familiar; one that no one wanted to remember. Maylene didn't know what it was, but she wanted nothing to do with it. Sealing it out with her abilities, she became immune to its touch. Yet in her safety, she found guilt. Ash was becoming weighed down by the emotion… Reminders of pasts long gone and warnings of futures eternally coming slit and struck against the Empathic's chest. On his own, Ash struggled to keep his smile. He was alone in plights that he would soon name his own – and she was the one to leave him with the burdens she could have carried alongside him.

It was nothing new for her. Maylene had always aimed to protect herself from the troubles of sharing emotions – her past serving as her constant reminder of betrayal and lies formed from such a sensitive action… Yet at this moment, she could feel nothing but her own betrayal and lies. She was betraying herself – lying to herself. A part of her, one that she was not quite familiar with, wanted her to see that though _what_ she was doing may have been correct – _who_ she was doing it to was a mistake…

A part of her desperately wanted her to see that… _Ash is worth it._

Breathing out, she loosened her control and allowed the familiar emotion to weigh on her. Her hand reached out and held Ash's. "_I don't want to forget you._" was the only thing she could say.

He smiled; a genuine smile. The emotion began to fade, along with his sadness… disappearing to a place where no one could follow – where no one would ever want to follow.

"That's why I said 'yes' to you. _Because you never did forget me._" he replied with a cheerful grin. Maylene didn't know what he was referring to, but she felt gladdened by his smile.

"I don't know what I'll ever tell them." Ash coughed until his normal tone returned. "But I do know that I'll say 'yes' to you. Even if they're there. The relationship I have with any of them is between me and them – it has nothing to do with anyone else. Same goes for us. You asked. I said 'yes'. And here we are…"

"You said _'us'_." Maylene blushed. "As in… _our_ relationship?"

"…Is that bad?"

"…_I like it, actually._" Her fingers wrapped around his clumsily. With a shuffle, she pressed her shoulder against his. "_Nice to know I've got backup…_" Her head gently leaned against his.

…

"_Hey Ash?"_

"Yeah?"

"_I think I might like dates…"_

"Yeah…"

…

"Hey 'Lene?"

"_Yeah?"_

"Nice job avoiding my question."

"_I'll answer it if I get to kiss you again…"_


	11. Exhibition

"And that doesn't hurt whatsoever?"

"Not at all. As long as they're accepting of their riders, their flames won't harm them."

"Is it okay if I…?"

Solana leaned forward and patted the rapidash's fiery mane. "_He just wants to touch you. Is that okay, girl?_"

The Fire Horse Pokémon tilted its head slightly and tilted it back as a response. Its Quiet nature made it difficult for Solana to understand its moods or warnings, but she had already invested a large sum of trust on the pokémon… It would have been a betrayal for the both of them to doubt its friendliness now. She turned towards the camouflage-fatigued soldier and gave an assuring nod.

Walking hesitantly faster to catch up with them, the soldier slowly reached out and let his hand brush over the mystical flames that marked the white horse-like pokémon's back. The male soldier, a man codenamed Blank for his almost blank expressions, made an almost-smile as he realized that the fires caused no harm to his skin or flesh. "_That's astounding…_"

Another soldier walked slightly closer and hovered his rifle above the flames – curious to see if it would react to something inanimate. "And if that quickdash –" he began.

"Rapidash." Ritchie corrected him before he continued.

"_Right…_ if that 'rapidash's little spell, or whatever it was you used, were to run out of juice or malfunction – would that fire burn?"

"The Capture Styler allows the pokémon to understand a Ranger's intentions." Solana explained, _for the third time today_… to the same skeptical soldier. "It's not a spell or hypnotizer or brainwasher or anything like that. They simply become more aware of the Ranger's wants and needs from them. In a way, it's negotiating with them. They can refuse, they can choose to not believe us, and they can choose to not care. But the Styler just helps them understand."

"In that sense," Ritchie helped her with the description, "Nothing will malfunction or break or wear off. They'll only stop helping when they want to."

"So if that thing just decided to go wild on us…"

Solana sighed. She never did like having to explain subjects such as this to those who never cared to be convinced, and there were far too many of that kind within the HBR, but she knew she had to try. As the only representative of the Pokémon Rangers within this reality, it was her job to help spread their message and belief about Pokémon to this world.

"Going 'wild'," she began, "Is the same as us humans 'panicking'. We go back to our most basic instincts and run off of it. Animals and pokémon alike simply depend on their instincts more often than we do in order to survive in their environments. If anything, we humans only see 'going wild' as a negative thing because we don't understand why an animal or pokémon acts the way it does. If we simply understood why they behave and react to things the way they do, then we wouldn't see it as a negative 'wild' trait – but as a positive, understandable, and natural trait."

"Okay, so if the big fire horse thing decided to go native on us for… I dunno, looking at it the wrong way… We'd be in big trouble, yeah?"

The female Ranger exhaled slowly through her nose, counting imaginary numbers as she did her best to calm herself. "…_Yes._ Yes, we'd be in trouble."

"And where's the best spot to lay a shot into it? I've shot something like this thing before and it didn't go down when I hit it square in the head. Even a gouge to the heart didn't stop the bloody thing."

Solana felt sick. No matter what realm or reality she ended up in, she never accepted the action of killing a pokémon. In her eyes there was nothing worse than those who slaughtered them for sport or for foolish "self defense" reactions. Pokémon, unlike wild animals, were less inclined to fatally harm humans for reasons outside of direct threats to their life. It seemed as if they were prevented from doing so – as if written into their very existence that they would be partners towards humans, and not a threat. Through thick and thin, humans and pokémon would enjoy and suffer in life together. If anything had a right to take the life away from a pokémon, it would be another pokémon, a wild animal, disease, or age. Humans gained nothing from their deaths. Not food, not clothing, nothing whatsoever: Pokémon benefited humans through their existence, not their lack of.

Yet within in this world, there were thousands upon thousands, if not millions, who saw Pokémon as this man had. This man, a soldier strangely codenamed Happy, saw Pokémon as frightening monsters… treacherous beasts… dangerous creatures that deserved nothing but suspicion, fear, and death. His view of them, like many others, came from the Rocket Empire's influence on the Pokémon World. From their use of them as thugs and assassins to harm and destroy those who had gotten in their way, to their abuse of the wildlife populations that had made pokémon extremely aggressive towards any and all humans: Pokémon were no longer trusted because humans were to no longer be trusted.

Despite this almost obvious fact, the soldier named Happy killed pokémon for sport and "self defense". A necklace around his neck held the teeth of several species and evolutions of pokémon. His diet had been introduced to a handful amount of pokémon of varying types and sizes. And he had a terrifying tattoo of a beast with lightning wings on his back, commemorating his trophy kill of the Legendary Bird Zapdos.

"Happy" was a dangerous man. Within her home region of Fiore, it had taken a force of fifteen Pokémon Rangers to stop and detain a woman who had boasted only half of "Happy"s evidenced kills. How many countless months of baiting and chasing, as well as how many of their own partner pokémon, would have been lost in any attempt to capture this soldier worried Solana's thoughts. Yet here such a dangerous man walked beside her… working on the 'good side' of the spectrum. What this world would turn out to be if she were to allow his gruesome actions to continue unpunished, she did not know – and she did not want to know. It was taking all of her will just to prevent herself from assaulting him right here and now.

"You don't need to kill every pokémon you see, you know?" Ritchie answered Happy's question with a nervous laugh. "For the most part, if you can harm them enough or cause them to faint – they won't be a continuous threat. Most pokémon are prone to run from trouble rather than face them head on."

The soldier didn't seem convinced. "Try telling that to a beast with a horn that tried to crush me under some boulders just for deciding to tie my shoes on a rock."

"You could have very well been tying your shoes on its child, if you're talking about the pokémon I think you're talking about."

"So the same goes around: If one of them's threatening my life – what should I do?"

"Run." one of the soldiers in the rear responded. She and several other trailing soldiers laughed at the obvious answer.

"Actually, she'd be correct." Solana added, finally calming herself once again. "It's always best to run. The best way to protect life is to avoid harm."

Happy didn't seem pleased with the answer. "Pfah. I don't run from problems. I solve them. I've a mission to do. And if I ran from every glimpse of danger, then the HBR would still be runnin' off that old gas generator."

Murmurs of agreement sounded from the soldiers.

Solana challenged the statement, "If you ran from fights you didn't need to start, then you would've solved more problems than made them."

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me. Pokémon repay kindness and respect as any human would. If you didn't kill every single one you met, you might've befriended some of them – and they might've helped the Hearthome Resistance in their battles instead of add to their dangers."

"Lady, maybe where _you're_ from Pokémon are kind and cuddly things. But here? They kill humans on sight. Letting them go free for one more day means letting them get one more chance to kill us. Good ol' Marbles got mauled in his sleep by one of those _'would-be friends'_ because he didn't have the heart to finish it off when he had the chance."

"And why would they do that? Why, for any reason, would a pokémon seek to harm a human intentionally if it didn't see the human as a threat? And why would it see the human as a threat if it wasn't a threat? Don't you get it? What goes around comes around and you're just making this cycle spin faster and faster the more you stand by your deranged view of Pokémon!"

Happy stopped in his tracks. With a sneer, he grabbed his sleeve and rolled it open. A large tattoo was found around his arm… or rather, several small tattoos formed around his arm. "_Deranged?!_" he spat angrily, "Tell that to the names on this arm! Rice, taken out by a red-eyed pokémon during one of our night Patrols! Halt, lost her life from poison that came from a pokémon she was trying to PROTECT! Lepsy and Yield, hunted down and torn apart from a pack of hellish ghost-like pokémon! Dragon, electrocuted to dea–"

"Did you say Dragon?!" Ritchie interrupted with a voice of panic. In truth, he wanted to let the man continue his heart-felt recollections of those meant to be honored – but the mention of the name was far too important to ignore. "As in Dragon of Operation Beta?!"

The soldier rolled down his sleeve and cracked his neck. He was just as sick of this debate as the Ranger was and wanted to move forward – an opportunity given by the Ranger's lackey. "_Operation Beta's Dragon?_" He snorted. "Nothing can kill that woman. No, she's not the same Dragon. Though she did get her name from her."

"Ah… Looked up to her?"

"No, she _literally_ got the name from her." he clarified. "OB's Dragon met with our Patrol a long time ago. Our Dragon was codenamed 'Fire' during then. But 'Fire's a common codename in Resistance groups – so it wasn't exactly a special name to be proud of. After helping out on a major mission Beta was running during that time, Dragon kept calling Fire 'Dragon' because of how she ran our Patrol team like Dragon ran her group. So we all started calling her 'Dragon' since then. A respectable name, that."

"_The HBR met with Operation Beta? _Why has no one told us this?!"

Happy shook his head. "I never said the HBR met with Operation Beta. I said _our Patrol_ met with them. The HBR didn't know of our little side-mission with the OB. Gave the HBR false information to cover OB's tracks." His hands to his hips, he rethought what he had just said. "_You're not going to snitch on us, are ya'?_"

"The HBR doesn't want you working with Operation Beta?" Solana entered the topic. She had stopped the rapidash's climb down the hill and rejoined them after cooling her head.

"Tch. No Resistance group wants to touch OB. Doesn't want any affiliation with them. Says they support them or willing to help – but once OB comes around any of their parts, they all close up shop. Same goes for HBR. _Buncha' hypocrites._"

"Why? Why won't anyone want to help Operation Beta?"

"Rumors go that OB is pulling a Zoro. Kinda' like a two-age, but an entire group instead of one. Makes us think we're on the same side – then BAM, slits us in the throats while we sleep."

Solana frowned. "Um… Could you repeat that? I'm not exactly sure if that made any sense."

"What she means to say," Ritchie interjected in order to neutralize any further arguments, "What does the phrase _'pulling a Zoro'_ mean?"

Happy stared at the two in humorous curiosity. "You two must really not be from around here… Pulling a Zoro? You know, disguising themselves? Thing is, Operation Beta barks pretty big for a Resistance group. Our Resistance groups have been fighting the Rocket Empire for years, and never once did we make ourselves known on a news network of any sort. Heck, even if we did, the Empire would've censored it somehow. Now suddenly OB gets their hands on a pirate station and broadcasts threats to the Empire, and no one can keep them quiet? Seems suspicious. Making it worse, every Resistance group the OB has ever gotten into contact with… vanishes. _Poof._ No trace. Just up and disappears. Whether the wood's not sudo doesn't matter at this point: All signs point to the fact that OB might be working for the Empire."

Ritchie and Solana looked at each other in surprise. They silently asked each other hundreds of questions without speaking a word. None of the questions would have an answer, but they hoped they would find comfort in knowing that the other realized the importance of the information.

"I don't believe a lick of it though." Happy broke their concentration with his statement.

"You think Operation Beta is a legitimate Resistance?" Ritchie asked, dearly hoping.

"Legit as they get." He nodded. "They may bark loud, but they bite harder than any of us do. One huge mission after the other, those guys and gals at the OB make the Empire pay their due. Wouldn't've believed it myself if I didn't see it for myself. Our Dragon trusted them from the get-go though. Made us follow her lead even if we kept doubting OB's intents. That doubt vanished with the wind after we succeeded the mission with them. Bloody worth a celebration – yet only ones who drank to our names were ourselves. If HBR ever found out we double-dated with OB, we'd be visiting Magenta as one of her _'guests'_." He shivered. "OB's Dragon ain't got our Boss' record of _'hospitality'_, so I'd rather not challenge that."

Solana pressed her chin against the rapidash's neck, deep in thought. "If they really are to be trusted, then why do Resistance groups disappear after getting into contact them? And why are they making themselves so public compared to the other groups?"

Happy shrugged. "Way I see it, OB gets themselves into a lot of heat. Anyone who tries to keep up with them just ends up getting burnt out. Our Patrol survived their mission, but that was by the skin of our teeth. Who knows, there might be entire Resistance groups that did business with Beta and succeeded – and they just decided never to make it public. As for why they're so loud? I'd say it's their leader. OB's Dragon is a firecracker. Loud and proud as a dragon. She knows how to make a good threat, and she has the means to back it up. True as heck that she can get a bit carried away – but she means weller than the Bosses of HBR, I'd say."

"Do you know of any way of getting into contact with Operation Beta?"

"Pfah! OB's loud, but not easily found, lady. You'd have better luck finding an honest man in the Empire than finding them. Our Patrol came by them by luck. Luckiest of lucks."

The Ranger sighed and turned the rapidash back down the hill, continuing their march.

"Is there any way we can bait them into meeting with us then?" Ritchie pressed the interrogation. The information they had found was invaluable, but still too inconclusive to be of any use.

"_Unless you're a big Empire Agent with a big, powerful weapon…_" The soldier scratched at the scar on his cheek, considering if he should reveal all his cards. With one hand, he never found trust in those who commanded pokémon. Within the other, he liked the Ritchie boy. In a world of mistrust and lies, it was rare to find an honest man. Ritchie practically reeked of truth and honor. "…Your next best bet would be the meeting that the HBR is holding for a bunch of other Resistance groups. You know, the one your boss set up with our Boss."

Ritchie's eyes lit up. "Really? Operation Beta's going to be there?"

"Never said that, Sparkles. I said that other Resistance groups are meeting with ours." Happy smirked. "But with the other groups finally having a face-to-face meeting, it's going to get a lot of attention even if it's done in the hush. Whether that attention is from the Empire or OB or both, who's to say? But I'd bet that OB's going to keep a close eye on that meet."

"_That makes sense…_" The Trainer nodded. He bowed. "Thank you for telling us this. It really goes a long way."

"Just don't mention it to anyone else in the HBR. Seriously. Don't. If you do, I might add your tooth to my collection."

"We won't." He grinned, turned, and caught up with Solana.

"_Hey!_" Happy called after the two. "Why do you guys care about Operation Beta anyways?"

"We used to know them." was all Solana cared to explain.

Happy shrugged, accepting the answer. _It would explain where they're from… To think that a bunch of foreigners are going to win our war… We're a sad excuse of a Resistance._ "Patrol Team Scope, entry six, two guests." he spoke into a microphone hidden within a boulder's cracks.

Acknowledging his message, the boulder rolled aside, revealing a cave perfectly hidden from the human eye. Three guards positioned at the cave's entrance parted and saluted. With a nod, the Ranger duo and the four soldiers made their way into the passageway in professional silence. The Morning Patrol returned from their scouting mission of Mt. Coronet.

* * *

With an expertly controlled leap and dash, the figure of forested camouflage and striking blue reached the next checkpoint with surprising agility. Wasting no time, the figure quickly pulled out a poké ball and readied it for a throw. There was no need to throw, as there were no threats found around the next corner, but the show of swift readiness was impressive for anyone who continued to watch.

To those who followed the intense figure marking and scouting the dense woods ahead of them, it was as if they were watching a foreign expert show them how their job should be done. For the veterans who considered themselves masters: It was a shameful reminder that they had gotten sloppy and careless. For the sloppy and careless who never minded their faults: It was an inspiring and entertaining show. And for those who had known this figure: It was a frustrating look into every detail that they had underestimated about the "average" girl.

Dawn, the Coordinator from Twinleaf Town, was revealing the extent of her abilities.

Within a now-lost reality, she had once been a promising young Coordinator who was quickly rising in popularity and rank within Contest Tourneys and Rings. Her ability to combine the technique and form of a single pokémon into a beautiful yet effective new attack had become her signature style – a style that had allowed her to compete against Coordinators of more refined skill-levels and established reputations. Through trial and error, she had improved herself to a degree that none had ever expected her to gain at such speed. And with her charming appearance and warm friendliness, she was quickly earning her place as an adored idol amongst many groups and circles. In more than one area, Dawn had become an exceptional figure in Sinnoh – and she had a bright future ahead of her.

That future vanished with the reality she had built it upon. Her history, reputation, and ribbons held no value within this world. Even her avant-garde approach to Contests bargained little benefit when style and form no longer had use in an environment of fierce straightforwardness and deadly rough edges… or so the others thought.

With great discipline, Dawn had applied the training normally meant for her pokémon on herself. From countless hours of observation, studying, and practice, the blue-haired Coordinator had memorized not only what abilities the others within the team had, but how they had accomplished them with ease. Applying these studies and methods to herself, she masterfully adapted their capabilities into her own technique and form. From the Quinns' unnaturally quick reflexes and acclimations, the Farrons' experienced understanding of battlefields and enemy logic, the Leannes' perfected observations and readiness, to the Ramies' inspiring display of physical fitness and courage… Dawn had become someone, _something_, else entirely different from her previous self.

In front of their very eyes, Misty and Anabel witnessed the youngest member of their team outperform a group of soldiers in a field they were supposed to be experts of.

The soldiers seemed to welcome this feat rather than find offense or shame in it.

Checking the map and log, the former leader of Patrol Team Wildfire, temporarily self-demoted to allow Dawn to take the head of his team, nodded in appreciation of what he saw: Over three-fourths of their Patrol objectives were completed within a fraction of the time expected from them – all thanks to the girl who showed an unbridled passion for a job that she neither owed anything to nor benefited greatly from. If he had known what she was capable of, he would have never objected to the Bosses for allowing such a _"runt"_ to join them on their tasks.

Anabel, on the other hand, saw through the Coordinator's ruse. Though obviously in awe of what she was witnessing from the girl, she found herself more in awe of how much the girl was hiding from the others… Dawn was tiring, greatly. Through a technique learned either from the Quinns or the Ramies, Dawn was disguising her fatigue and pain to a degree that one could barely tell if she was breaking a sweat. But Anabel knew. She knew that in a matter of time the Coordinator would faint or permanently injure herself if she continued at her rate.

Yet she neither slowed nor rested…

_She's trying to push herself._ Anabel observed with fearful admiration. _She's trying to make herself used to this, even if it means breaking herself in the process…_ The Empathic peered deeply into and dissected every emotion and aura that came from the Coordinator. She had to know what made Dawn 'tick'. What pushed her to keep going. What pushed her to this point of suicidal improvement. What pushed her to change everything about herself in order to mean something to someone who would care for her either way…

It was in those considerations that Anabel found her answer: _Maya._

Maya wanted this. _Deeply._ Though Dawn herself desired such results and benefits – Anabel was well aware of how much the Coordinator had held herself back to prevent any self-harm. Dawn had a strong passion for Ash, but would never sacrifice everything she had in order to obtain him. _But Maya would sacrifice her life for Sato._

…_Where is Maya?_

Anabel frowned. In all her Empathic readings of the girl, not once could she sense the essence of Maya hidden inside or attached to Dawn. Unlike Sato and Ash where the two were easily distinguishable through reading their innermost emotions, Dawn had no separate traces of Maya. It was as if Dawn herself wanted this, rather than being influenced by the powerful, beyond-sensitive Empathic. _But that can't be right… Dawn isn't like this. Is she?_

She thought back to her past conversations with the other members of the team… Within any discussion or story that concerned the 'old Dawn', they were filled with tales of promising skills and a powerful confidence hidden inside a solid person of humility. By all descriptions, others would seem to describe the blue-haired Coordinator as a person of strong determination… which no longer seemed to match the profile of the 'new Dawn'.

The 'new Dawn' was a girl of confused intentions and immature desires. Her once-noticeable determination had weakened into a somewhat-pathetic drive. She was hardly the proud and powerful girl the others had made her seem like… As much as she hated to admit it, Anabel saw the 'new Dawn' as a _'has-been'_. Her past was what made her an important and memorable figure towards the others – but that interest had waned greatly with the fact that Dawn had no solid footing or effective adaptation to the new situations and environments the team constantly found themselves within. In every sense, Dawn was a memento, a beneficiary of what others accomplished for what she had meant to them in the past. She had become an estranged tag-along, an obsolete reinforcement, and an unnecessary support. _Nothing more._

Yet here was an entirely different Dawn. In comparison, she had been a living under a shadow of this rendition's stature. This Dawn was far more focused. Far more determined. A figure of masterful control and confidence – her very weaknesses becoming her greatest strengths. _But why? Why is she like this if I can't sense Maya in her at all?_ "If she really did become Maya… then why can't I read her in there?"

"Because 'Maya' wasn't enough." Misty's voice caused the Empathic to jump in surprise.

In her frustration and confusion, Anabel had accidentally spoken her emotions and thoughts. _I'm starting to make mistakes again… I shouldn't drive myself to this point of stress._ She turned her head and regarded the Cerulean Gym Leader with her eyes. "What do you mean?"

"…You can see it, can't you? The way she's moving and acting? Just like Ramie. Just like Leanne. Just like Farron. Just like Quinn." Misty pointed towards the Coordinator with her chin. Dawn was across a road, investigating an abandoned shack with phenomenal feats of mental and physical discipline. The orange-haired tomboy continued, "But not a sign of Maya."

Anabel nodded. "I see that. But why?"

"Maybe she wants to mean everything to Sato."

"…Meaning?"

"You're an Empathic, right?" Misty glanced in Anabel's direction. The question was rhetorical, but she needed a direct response before continuing.

"It would be strange if I wasn't one."

"And you have some of Maya's memories, correct?"

"As do you…"

"Then tell me, _and think about it before answering me_… Did Sato restart the universe for Maya?"

"Y–"

…

…

Anabel fell silent in realization. The idea that a man named Sato had restarted the universe for a woman named Maya, which would in turn reborn the two as Ash and Misty, had once been her primary concern in her direct relationship with Ash. Countless times ago, she was afraid of losing Ash to a woman she could never compete with. And that woman was Maya – _the reason why the universe had changed…_ To consider this thought again was a strange hindsight; for she would later find that she herself was a piece of Maya; placing her worries in odd perspectives.

Yet even stranger of this hindsight: Anabel realized that her original fear may have been wrong.

_Did Sato restart the universe for Maya? Or…_

From the portions of memory she could recall of the man named Sato, Anabel had observed that he was a 'selfless man'. His only obvious form of selfishness came from his impossible desire to make all people happy – which was selfless in its selfishness. Within that consideration, she was surprised to find that Sato may _not_ have sacrificed the reality the others had fought hard to save just so he could save Maya…

_He did it to save us from the reality we had sacrificed everything to fight for… It wasn't selfish at all. He didn't do it for himself…_

Her eyes watered. A painful jealousy filled her chest. She wanted Sato to have restarted the universe for her, Maya – not for others – not for anyone else. She knew it was terribly selfish of her to feel those things, but it had been the source of her confidence of holding a relationship with Ash: She had thought that being the woman he sacrificed everything to save would solidify her place by his side… but that was no longer the case.

"So… Sato never did it for just Maya…"

"She was one of the strongest influences in that decision." Misty replied with a knowing tone. "But she wasn't the only one…"

"So Dawn…"

"Is enacting Maya's desire to become everything for Sato. If Sato had sacrificed everyone to save everything – then she wants to be his everything. She's becoming everyone that ever meant anything to him, so that he'd have no reason to save anyone else. No reason to sacrifice anything else."

Guilt struck at Anabel's heart. Dawn's desire was one of the most selfish desires a person could hold – but Anabel felt inspired from it. She knew it was wrong to look up to such a self-centered determination, but she couldn't help but feel the same way towards Ash. _She wanted Ash for herself… For him to look at her in a way that he could see no one else as… For him to desire no one else but her… For him to love her and only her…_

Anabel was willing to _'share'_ Ash with Dawn and Misty – as she considered them as pieces of who she really was. _But no one else. Ash can only look at us… Because no one else loves him like we do… Because no one else would sacrifice everything just to be with him… Because no one else would give up everything they are to be everything he needs us to be…_

"It's… _selfish_. But I agree with her actions." Anabel admitted with guilty hesitation. "No one else deserves him. They'd only use him for what he is and abuse him for who he is. I don't want him to keep killing himself for those people. I don't want him to lose his happiness just so that he could make someone else smile… _someone who wouldn't care to see him smile._ I want to be the one to make him smile… and I want to protect that smile." Her hand pressed against her chest, attempting to calm the conflicted emotions that ravaged inside. She looked up to Misty and gave a reassuring smile – a smile that solidified her stance on her words. "I'd be willing to do anything to be that _everything_ for him."

Misty nodded in return. In truth, she wasn't in full agreement… She didn't fully agree, not because it was selfish, but because she had a strange feeling that Dawn was hiding more to her intentions. _If it were that easy, I would've turned into Maya sooner._

…

A hidden smirk formed across Dawn's lips._ Nothing's ever that easy._

* * *

Her hands moved from one side to the other, pointing and directing their attentions at several lines and markings across the board. He couldn't understand it, and he couldn't read it. Her mouth opened and closed, with sounds of smooth pitches and complicated syllables loosing from them. He couldn't understand it, and he couldn't speak it. Whatever it was she was detailing or explaining… he couldn't even begin to understand. Or rather, _shouldn't_.

Contrary to what her and her kind thought of them and their kind, Pokémon couldn't fully comprehend the Human language. They knew certain sounds, commands, and phrases – but never fully grasped the meaning behind the others… Yet it wasn't from those sounds, commands, and phrases that Pikachu directly followed or replied to: It was the expressions and tones behind them. It was the intentions that Pikachu and many more pokémon listened to most. No misuse of words or language barrier had ever prevented a pokémon from understanding the intention of another. Only body language and instinctual reactions, two things that expressed intentions with more honesty and clarity than any sentence or speech, were confusing factors that would appear when speaking with others.

And from the body language and reactions of 'Bianca', _or 'BiBi' when the other 'Bianca' was around_, she did not intend these lessons or lectures for him. And if it wasn't intended for him, then he had no real reason to try to figure out her Human words and expressions. Only the words _"Pikachu"_, _"ThunderShock"_, and _"ketchup"_ would stand out to him while she spoke her speech… The speech that was intended for the near hundred soldiers and guards cramped inside the small room of A-4 – and not for him.

He wasn't entirely aware of why he was brought here, but he had known of her need for him. Whatever that need was: It was uncomfortable. At random moments during her talks, she would pick at his tail and point at his head. At times, she would pull at his ears or brush his fur in the wrong direction. The actions had annoyed him, but she didn't intend for it to be bothersome – so he quietly allowed her to continue them… as long as she didn't intend to wake him up.

Pikachu was half-asleep. Just a handful of hours before, he was comfortably sleeping in a pile of laundry left in the corner of Room E-7. The familiar scent of Ash and the pleasant smell of Misty had hovered over a particular portion of the pile, tempting him to relax in that spot. Espeon had done the same, except slept within an area that smelled too clean: Anabel's private pile. The two found the carefree atmosphere of the HBR base and the relaxing scents of freshly cleaned clothes to be too great of a sleeping opportunity to pass up. And in that sleep, they found themselves in a pleasant paradise.

This was no longer a pleasant paradise.

The room was loud, in both sound and intentions.

To the left were a noisy crew of men and one woman – their wants and cares nowhere near aimed to what 'Bianca' was here for. It would have been better if they weren't here, for both them and 'Bianca'. But they 'had' to be here, or so they made it sound like.

To the back was a skeptical group of at least twenty. They sat close together because they agreed with one another – or so Pikachu assumed. Whatever it was they were here for, the Electric Mouse Pokémon knew not. What he did know: bothered him. He could smell fear, anxiety, and aggression in them… not aimed towards 'Bianca', but _towards him_. It was a familiar scent. He had smelled it countless times before during their travels in the strange, new world. From friendly townsfolk to wary authority figures: People didn't like Pokémon in this reality. Everyone in this new world was different from whom they were before. Strangely, they felt like they were always like that, and that he had just been mistaken. But Pikachu knew he wasn't mistaken: They were changed. Someway. Somehow. Something wrong happened to them. And Ash and 'Sato', and his friends, were here to make things right.

'_Sato'…_ Pikachu's wavering thoughts moved to the man who was 'also Ash'.

The 'man named Sato' had a similar scent to Ash. He had a similar look, a similar mannerism, and a similar 'self' that would have convinced Pikachu in every way that he was simply Ash in a different form. But there was something uniquely different about him. It was as if he was 'an Ash from a different past' or 'a ghost of another Ash'. He would never be able to articulate these differences to anyone else, but he was sure that these differences were as real as the air around him and as solid as the table underneath him. Sato wasn't Ash, and Ash wasn't Sato. But they were at the same time: Non-existent without the other.

If it weren't for the 'man named Sato', Ash wouldn't be here – for that, he was sure. Ash was gone. A fierce entity the others would always refer to as "the darkness" took him away. _Far away. Further than distance. Further than death. _Yet whatever struggle or venture the others had fought and journeyed through: They had succeeded in bringing Ash back from that place _further than distance and death_. They had accomplished it by bringing 'back' 'Sato' – a man who shared Ash's body in order to keep the both of them 'here'. _Without one or the other, the two would 'be taken away'… _at least, that's the best way he could understand it without becoming frustrated.

From what Ash had told him, to how the others reacted, to what little he overheard, to what Latias had told him: Pikachu had gathered enough details to piece together what had occurred… And it was all beyond him. Whether it was something he wasn't meant to fully understand, or he simply didn't care about most of the factors involved: All that he appreciated most from the explanations was that Ash 'Ketchum' was finally back. His best human friend was back, and that was all that mattered. The other details seemed too tedious and involving to consider.

Despite that conclusion, Latias would continue her rants and excited gossips about those very details. …That was sadly to be expected from her. The red and white Eon Pokémon was the epitome of what Pikachu considered _'too involving'_. Not only had she placed too much concern and focus on the overcomplicated politics and dramas that Humans always put themselves through, but she had even gotten herself _too involved_ with one.

It was no secret to anyone that Latias had a strong desire to be Ash's love and mate – She had spoken of it loudly and endlessly since she first gained those intentions towards the human. And it would have been a serious problem for any pokémon that would overhear her lovestruck babbles and burbles… except for the fact that it was Latias.

_She was always a strange Pokémon…_ to Human and Pokémon alike. Friendly and caring as any other innocent pokémon… _but had an unrealistic view of Humans_. In her eyes: Humans were the most important figures in existence – and they were like guardians and caretakers that watched over the universe and all its creations… that even the Creator Pokémon would tremble and bow to their combined will. And though her convoluted theories and ideas made sense in a warped perspective of the mind: Pikachu gave it no mind.

_Pokémon are Pokémon. Humans are Humans. One is not higher than the other. They're just a little different. And it is in their difference that they find strength through each other._ was Pikachu's viewpoint. In his eyes, one side should never spend too much time thinking about creators and duties, and spend more time creating and enacting duties. _Pokémon and Humans need one another, not need to worship the other. Creator or Creations, it never matters: We all live, we all 'do', and we all 'are'._

Regardless of that simple philosophy that almost all pokémon followed as they lived out their lives: Latias, _the strange one_, still desired more knowledge on the subjects, on all subjects. She was an information addict, similar to her friend 'Bianca' – except Latias found more interest in emotions and willpower than knowledge and physicality. It was perhaps in that interest that she had become obsessed with Humans.

Humans were creatures of ambition and irrational pride, holding themselves to standards they neither earned nor rightfully owned. It was one of the 'little differences' that made them different from Pokémon.

Pokémon had ambition and pride in the things they earned and owned, and rarely anything beyond it – their desires and satisfactions limited to what they were designed for. It was a simple design of life and not one that many would strive against.

Latias, _strange Latias_, expectedly, did. Latias always strove to become more than what she was designed for. And in that endeavor, she had fallen for Pikachu's best friend, Ash. A Human and Pokémon relationship such as that would never find satisfaction, Pikachu considered. The 'little differences' held the two species apart as much as it bonded them together. _She'll never find peace with that infatuation…_

"Pikachu? Could you please show them a ThunderShock?"

The Electric Mouse's ears perked. He couldn't fully comprehend every word that was said to him, but a hint in the 'air' told him exactly what the voice was asking from him.

"Pikachu?" Bianca carefully prodded him with her pencil. She gave a nervous laugh as the room fell awkwardly silent. Everyone was staring at her and her interaction with the creature that was foreign to them. "Um… Pikachu? Sorry to wake you… I just really –"

"Pika?" He sat up immediately and glanced at the female Sketch-Artist with interest.

"_Oh!_ You're awake… Thank you. I was hoping you could show the people here how a ThunderShock looks like." She smiled and pointed towards a small metal rod on the other side of the table. "Just strike there whenever you're ready, if you could, please."

Pikachu nodded and stiffened. A rush of energy tingled through his nerves, causing his fur to stand up on end. _"CHUUUUUUUUUUU-!"_ he growled as a controlled bolt of electricity darted from his body and struck its intended target.

Gasps and hums of interest came from the crowd of seated soldiers and guards. Whatever distracting or spiteful energy that had hung in the air before dissipated quickly. All were now fascinated by the show of raw power from the small, yellow creature. A few seemed only interested in how obedient he was to the command. Their reactions had made it obvious that many within this world didn't know much about Pokémon. Which only encouraged Pikachu.

With a spin and a flex, Pikachu leapt through the air and vanished almost instantly. Surprised murmurs and panicked questions emerged from the unknowing crowd. "Pi!" In a flash of light, Pikachu reappeared across the room, cancelling his Quick Attack and readying his next move. He pounced off the nearest wall and threw himself towards the rod. Electricity roared from his fur – causing many to scream and yell in shock – as Pikachu landed a perfectly executed Volt Tackle at the rod's tip. A loud **buzz** and **pop** burst from the surge of energy. And as he elegantly hopped to a stop, sparks of electric rain spread from the rod and throughout the room, harmlessly fading into the crowd.

The scene was absolutely marvelous for those who kept their eyes open to witness it.

Whistles, cheers, and claps flooded from the soldiers and guards. Pikachu grinned as he bowed to the adoring crowd. If it was the first time the people within the room had ever seen a friendly pokémon attack, then he was glad to have made it at least entertaining for them.

_Showoff._

Pikachu turned and caught the sight of another pokémon sitting at a table's edge… Espeon.

He laughed in embarrassment as he scratched the back of his head. _I'm just having fun…_

_Showoff._ she repeated. With a teasing turn, she leapt off the table and walked out of the room through an open vent.

"A-Ah! Espeon! _Wait!_ You're not supposed to leave!" Bianca panicked as she crawled towards the small opening. "No pokémon are allowed to walk around the HBR base!"

Pikachu chased after the Sun Pokémon, dashing quickly into the vent.

"W-Wait! Pikachu! Come back!" 'Bianca' called after him.

"Pikaa!" he called back, hoping she'd understand that he'd be back. For now, he had to get back Espeon… who was playing her teasing games again. And he was playing into it again, _because it always made her happy_. And he loved it when she was happy.

* * *

The place was grey, dreary, and had an awful smell to it, yet the sky above and its lovely shade of blue more than made up for it. And if it wasn't for the sky, then the forest in the distance had a stunning green glow to take its place. And if not the trees, then the stones and pebbles below! No matter where you would look, there was beauty and grace to be found – No matter where you would end up, there was peace and love to be felt – You only had to pay attention.

That's how I see it, at least. The others always called it "blind optimism", but I think it's realistic. After all, isn't it considered more blind to not see these things at all? I don't believe that this place is an eternal haven that has no wrong to it – but I don't believe it to be a completely barren wasteland either. I'm simply not allowing any of the extremes blind me from what's really there. Wouldn't that make me a realist?

Even if I really was, the others would never admit it. No one ever wanted to 'encourage me' – thinking that I'd only become 'stranger' from any form of compliment. But if that were true, I'd be a complete outcast by now. Bianca and Ash encourage me all the time, no matter how 'strange' I am.

'Strange Latias' is what they'd call me. I never hear them say it to my face, but I know that's what they call me behind my back. That's what Alakazam told me once, at least. And he knows everything there is to know about everything. It was nice of him to tell me that… I think he has a thing for me. Maybe because others think he's weird too.

But I'm not really interested. My heart belongs to one and only one creature in this universe.

And that one and only one creature was close by. I could smell it. His scent is unmistakable…

I sighed in elation as that familiar scent of his entered my senses and engulfed me with my every memory of him. _Ash… Oh Ash…_

_The others think I'm crazy for loving you – They think it's crazy for any pokémon to love a human this way… But I don't see you as a Human… Just like how you don't see me as a Pokémon… You see me as 'Latias'. Not 'strange Latias', not 'Latias the Eon Pokémon', but as 'Latias'. 'Latias, your friend', and I hope someday, something more._

_The others think I'm crazy for loving you – They think I've fallen for you for just a moment we had spent in time when others had spent eternally longer lifetimes with you… But they never knew how we spent more than just times and moments with one another. We spent our hearts and our souls within a fraction of illusionary numbers and distances. And as our lives and worlds collided, our song rang out uncountable tunes and tones of harmony and bliss throughout the immeasurable tide of existence and realities._

…_Okay, so maybe not all of that. But I'd like to think that's what it could mean to the both of us._

And while I did fall for you that fateful day in the hidden garden of Alto Mare, that was nothing more than a childish love. We were so young then… So innocent and carefree. …I suppose we can't be that anymore, considering what weighs on our shoulders now.

But what weighs on our shoulders should never pull us down or break us – that's what you taught me, at least. No matter what the trouble or concern comes to face us: We stand determined in our goals! Unshakeable, that's what you are. And that's what you make us. As dangers assault us from every side, we stand firm against the crashing wave of enemies. And when they run their course, we ready ourselves to fight back. And we must fight back… because of what they've done. Team Rocket will pay for everything they've done – for their foolish pride, their selfish desires, and their distasteful greed. We will be the ones to enact that punishment on them.

_That's why you have to trust me, Ash._ Because I know what must be done. _I'm more than just your Latias; I'm also your Leanne._ The one who will ensure that every step you make is a stable one. The one who will ensure that every breath you take is a clean one. The one who will ensure that every decision you create is the right one. You've watched over me countless times in our past together, and it really is my turn to repay you for that kindness. And so, as a Pokémon acting on orders of her partner, I guard you from troubles unseen, as your unseen guardian. _But I do this of my own free will, as does Bianca, as does Leanne. We do this for you._

Bianca only wants what's best for you. You're an intelligent man, Sato – but you're a foolish one as well. You sacrifice everything for the people you care for most, and never realize that the only thing that matters to them is you. If you sacrifice yourself, then they lose everything they ever cared for. If they no longer have you, then there's no reason to keep their smiles or their hopes alive. _You bind us together, Sato_… Maya, Ramie, Leanne, Quinn, Farron: We're nothing but a crew of selfish and blind individuals without you. You're our purpose, our drive, and our desire to keep going – to strive harder – to become better than who we are now – to ensure the world never fails or disappoints itself.

_So trust me._ Trust Bianca. Trust the Leannes. While the others fight and argue over you, we do everything we can to help you. We won't need to prove we're the best, because you have every evidence that we already are the best. You just need to see us for who we are – who we really are. That part of us you really want to bring out: _Is right in front of your eyes, Sato…_ You adapt and meld into others to bring out the very best of them. We improve and push ourselves to be everything that others are missing. _Can't you see?_ Both you and I share in our desire to make others happy. _I just never had the will, and you just never had the way._ Together, we complete one another… Together, we can show the world that they've been blind to everything around them. That they can smile and laugh and have fun; _just like we did on that fateful day…_ That they can give each other company and comfort on those cold nights when they're feeling lost and alone; _just like we do every night…_

_But you need to trust me._ I don't have the strength or will to do this on my own. I have the means and the guidance, but those mean nothing without something to drive them. You're my drive. You're my empowerment. My will and my strength. You remind me that there's still a reason to keep smiling – to keep laughing. That it isn't the end of the world. That we can still change the fate that was handed to us. That we don't have to give up or give in to what others try to force upon us. _…And I need you for that._ And you need me so that message can be acted on.

And that's why Bianca loses herself just to find you the information we need to win this. And that's why I always watch over you even when you tell me not to. _We won't lose you again, Ash… We _need you. We really aren't anything without you. Bianca's just going to go back to Alto Mare and run your little fan club until you get married and everyone disbands… And me? _I don't know what to do with myself…_ I'm not an artist like Bianca, and I don't really have any interests beyond guarding something important. It's what I was built for. And right now? And even after we fixed everything? _There won't be anything left for me to protect or guide._

Not unless you pick us, Ash. With you, Bianca will push herself to become more than just a hobby artist. With you, I'll look forward to every new day and venture, and become a part of those new days and new ventures, rather than just watch and wait like I always am forced to do. You make us want to be something more than just what we were built for. _And that's a real blessing, you know that? You're a real gift from whoever's in charge up there…_

They chose right in allowing you the chance of becoming an Aura Guardian. You're the will of the world. The will to become something more…

And the thoughts cease, as a strange scent fills the air. Of something old, something new, and something more…

It's not Ash. It's not Sato. It's not Maylene. It's someone who isn't supposed to be out here… And the way they smell… It's not how they're supposed to smell… They shouldn't smell that way… _If they do, then…_

I hovered towards its direction, but suddenly reeled away when I noticed a familiar feeling covering the area: Empathy. It was watching very carefully, very intently. If I were to come any closer, stealth or not, I'd be spotted immediately… They wanted to make sure no one would find them. And with the structures above and below, and obstacles between, they would have ensured that no one would ever find them without having an easy way of escape.

…_But they never expected for a flying, invisible pokémon to find them…_

Looking up, I found an open window to the warehouse that the scent was hiding within. It was too high up for any traditional means of travelling, but hardly a trouble for hovering. In seconds, I floated through its entrance and flew along the ceiling's limits. The Empathy below had a limit, hardly as powerful as Ash's, and nowhere near Anabel's level – but it would have been enough to give them a head start. Even with my speed, I doubt I'd be able to catch them in that distance. _But I didn't need to catch… I just need to see with my own eyes… Just to be sure._

Skimming the absolute barrier of the Empathy's reach, I focused my eyes on the scene below… and there the person was. Or rather: There the two were. One had no scent, no feeling, no sense of them – as they were trained in a method similar to Maylene's control of her own energy. The other had a powerful scent, one that was not easily mistakable. To have the two presences together was peculiar enough, as the two were never seen interacting with the other. But what truly was of interest: was what they were doing together.

**CRSSH**

A crate exploded in a ball of blue energy. The attack had struck it at a momentum that was too slow to have caused such a reaction from any other contact, but the power contained within the Aura Sphere was more than enough to make up for its lack of impact.

Lucario panted the heat from his mouth and grunted in frustration – it was taking a tremendous amount of effort for the Aura Pokémon to control his scent, energy, and aura while still showing his combative abilities. But like the one he shared the warehouse with: He had no intention of revealing his presence here and now.

With a flex and growl of intense concentration, the other figure leapt forward and mimicked Lucario's previous movement. My eyes widened as I witnessed a sphere of blue Aura swirl from their palms and rocket itself towards a nearby crate. The crate cracked and shattered rather than exploded, but it was still an unbelievably impressive feat… even when compared to Lucario's attack.

_It was impressive… because May wasn't an Aura Guardian…_

* * *

"So then I – _Ah!_ – I pulled the rifle away just before his fingers could grip. Turned it, smashed the butt of it against his head and knocked out the guy behind me all in one swing!" Todd wheezed terribly, yet still kept an excited grin.

"That's it?"

"That's it?" The Photographer blinked in irritated shock. "What do you mean _'that's it'_? Let's see you do that when you're in the thick of things! – Ah! _OW!_" he yelped as a bamboo rod was smacked hard against his back – forcing him to straighten his posture again. Shuffling his feet to their correct positions, he opened his horse stance wide and grunted as his body shook in suffering. Accepting of his adjustment, the Storm Room Instructor moved onto the next slacking trainee in line.

Todd sneered at the Instructor's back and relaxed his posture. Horse stances, held stances, or any form of disciplined exercises were not something he was used to – and he had no plan of getting used to it any time soon.

Tonya snickered at his immature reaction. She stood perfectly within her horse stance, without any show of fatigue or discomfort. "That's not what I meant. What I meant was… You didn't kill him? Or the person behind you?"

"Kill?" He gave her a strange look. "Why would I need to kill him?"

"Because… Well… He's going to go back and inform them of what happened." She shot a strange look of her own back at him. "I'd think it would be obvious."

"Inform them and then what?"

"And they'll prepare themselves to go after any weaknesses you have."

"And what weakness do we have that no one else in this region has?"

"You –" Tonya blinked in surprise. She hadn't really considered his question before. While it only made sense to protect Resistance members and civilians by finishing off any Empire soldier or spy, it made little sense to protect a group of wandering rebels who had no clear goal or intention. Todd's group, compared to more organized and banded groups within the area, were at a clear disadvantage. Any and all 'weaknesses' of theirs to report were obvious. Except… "Well, your lot has pokémon on their side. That can't be normal. And that has to be something important to report."

The Photographer stiffened as he pushed himself back into stance before the Instructor could see him slacking again. "So what? They'll just think we're part of Operation Beta or something. There's nothing to report on us that isn't already a problem elsewhere. We're not that big of a deal for them, we're just trouble. No need to snuff out someone's life just for giving useless information… I mean, it's not like they ever figured out what we were doing during any of our missions."

"See? That's something worth reporting! How does your team make sure the Empire never figures out what you guys are doing if you never kill any of them?"

"Wipe trails clean. Muck up other things that are unrelated. Then mind-wipe anyone who actually saw what we were doing. In the end, they go chasing after shadows and never realize it."

"Mind wipe? Don't tell me you have Psychics on your team…"

"DID have a Psychic. Ran off on her own. She's that 'Quinn' we keep talking about." Todd shrugged and was ready to complain about their team's lack of professionalism, until he realized the concerned tone in Tonya's words. "…Is there something wrong with us having Psychics?"

The female soldier forced a shiver in her expression as she shook her head. "_Freaky things._ Do you know about Hunters?"

"Know 'em? Tch. Those weirdoes won't leave us alone!"

"Then you know that they hunt Psychics, Empathics, and Aura Guardians, right?"

"Why else would they bother us?"

"Well, nowadays Hunters are little more than boogeymen. They don't really have jobs… it's more like a status or title now, really. Reason for that is: They got rid of most Empathics and Aura Guardians from every region. Now they just mop up any remainders and toy with those who show any signs of developing any unnatural powers."

"Wait – Wait – Wait! Rid of MOST Empathics? And you said Aura GUARDIANS? As in, _more_ than one?"

Tonya nodded awkwardly at his shock. "Y-Yes. Most Empathics, if not all who are above the age of ten, are dead. Hunted by Hunters and either killed on the spot or imprisoned for good… And you can count those ones imprisoned dead too. The Empire hates Empathics. And Aura Guardians? Empire was frightened by them. They were the first to go. Not many of them were out there, but they got rid of them as fast as they could. Not a single Aura Guardian stands in any Empire-controlled region."

_She doesn't know about Ash being an Aura Guardian… Heck, this girl probably hasn't figured out that our team's practically crawling with Empathics! I guess I'm just too used to them that I didn't realize that it wasn't obvious._ "Back where I come from…" Todd started, attempting to make his words sound natural. "Aura Guardians are rare to come by. Practically only one or two ever known alive at a time. Also, I had no idea the Empire was so… _successful_ with hunting down Empathics."

"Strange place you must come from then." Tonya stared at him in interest. "Almost every region around Sinnoh, even Sinnoh itself, had at least five famous Aura Guardians at a time. Not anymore, obviously, but when they were around they were like idols to the people. Probably why the Empire went after them first: Get rid of the head and the body follows. Made people lose a lot of hope in resisting the Empire's influence."

"People just stood by and let them off their heroes?"

"What?! No way! We fought tooth and nail to punish the Empire for their actions. But the Empire had something dirty on every Aura Guardian. Made it seem like they were all a criminal organization. That they were all in something dirty together. And that the Empire was just cracking down on world crime… And considering how private and quiet many Aura Guardians were? It was hard to deny. Made it difficult to protect them when you're told that they're the reason why your father lost his business and brought your family down the gutter…"

"And you believed those lies?"

"Terrible thing was, Toddy? They _weren't_ all lies. A good number of Aura Guardians were involved in some nasty crap. They used their status and abilities to keep others down so they could keep themselves up. They weren't saints. They were human just like the rest of us." She sighed. "I can't say I blame them though. The people put them in that position, practically begging them to take advantage of everyone."

"And here I thought Aura Guardians were chosen for their selflessness."

"If that were true, they have a funny way of showing selflessness…"

Todd nodded. _You're telling me…_ "But anyways, what were you trying to get at earlier?"

"…Hm?"

"Something about Psychics."

"Right! Psychics! _Venomous freaks they are…_" Tonya spat at the floor, only realizing too late that she was still within the Storm Room. She quickly shuffled her feet to cover her spit and smiled nervously at the passing Instructor. "_That was close…_ Anyways. So Empathics and Aura Guardians are basically extinct. But Psychics? _Sight of Absol…_ Those freaks formed their own nation practically."

Tonya's words pulled Todd's attention completely off everything else. He sat down and turned towards her in complete interest. "Nation?"

"Closest thing you get to call it." she responded. "Thing is, Psychics put up one houndoom of a fight when Hunters come after them. And they can sniff Hunters from a mile away. If that weren't trouble enough, a huge group of them in… the Kanto region, _I think?_ They formed a freakishly gigantic organization there. Like a fortress-nation for Psychics. Every runaway Psychic dreams of flying off to that place and joining them. Empire doesn't touch those Kanto _Nightmares_. They tried several times and got burned every hecking time. Doesn't matter though: Those Psychics only protect Psychics. They don't attack the Empire outside of defending themselves, and they don't even help their neighbors. Buncha' freaks holed away in a hermit's paradise. Empire just leaves them to their hole. 'They want it that bad? They can keep it.'- kind of deal."

**THWK**

Tonya's eyes widened in surprise. Todd, without turning to see, had caught the Instructor's bamboo pole before it struck the back of his neck.

Before the Instructor could punish the insolent act, Todd pulled out a roll of currency and held it above his head. With barely a second of consideration, the Instructor took the money. He smiled as he counted it and moved onto the next pupil.

"You said Kanto…" Todd continued the conversation, almost as if he was unaware of the transaction he just made. "This group wouldn't be in Saffron City, would they?"

Tonya shrugged, holding back her infatuated reactions at the Photographer's cool-headed rebellion. "Beats me. I don't know my regions that well, remember?"

"Our Psychic is from Saffron. She used to be the head of that place. And she was quite world famous at some point." Todd leaned back and stared at the ceiling lights above. "_We might have some extra allies if we can get over there…_"

"Why in the world would you want to find MORE Psychics? Isn't one enough?"

He smirked. "Got a phobia for 'em?"

"_Who doesn't?_ Creeps get into your head and mess with you."

"Met one before?"

"Just stories. _Lots_ of stories. I'm glad I only know 'em by story." She shivered again. "So… This Psychic on your team… Are you meeting with it again anytime soon?"

Todd laughed. "It's a _'she'_, by the way. And yeah. Once she gets into contact with us first, that is."

"And how does _'she'_ plan on doing that? …You didn't transmit our location or anything, did you?"

"Nah, we just wait for her at Hearthome. She'll find us. She always finds us."

"_So that's what you guys always do out there…_ Do me a favor?"

"What?"

"Don't let her anywhere near me. I'd prefer to know Psychics only by stories."

Todd grinned as he tapped at her leg with his foot. "Coward." She stomped on his foot in response. "_OW!_"

Tonya kept her perfect horse stance and grinned back. "Weakling."


	12. Conceptions

Angie blinked herself into awareness and wiped the drool off her lips. She eyed her surroundings once again before resting her head against the wall… yet again. It was her seventh attempt in trying to find a comfortable position she could stay awake in.

While she had hoped that Pokémon Monitor duty would have been an easy job she could have slept through, she learned that it promised quite the opposite. The peace and relaxation that the team had felt within the safety of the HBR was also felt by their pokémon. Without jobs or duties of their own, however, the pokémon had grown intensely bored with their time within the base's windowless walls. To pass their time away from their Trainers, they had taken the hobby of pulling pranks on whoever was in charge of their safekeeping.

After waking up in a hole filled with Pokémon Feed – After waking up to Tracey dressed up in one of Dawn's outfits – After waking up to her entire backside covered in glued socks and underwear – After waking up to a half-frozen Tracey – After waking up to a room submerged in knee-high water – Angie had decided that it was best to not sleep while on Monitory duty.

"_I'm… watching you…_" she slurred as Dawn's piplup glanced in her direction.

The Penguin Pokémon simply smiled and continued his supposedly friendly conversation with Pachirisu.

"_You don't… fool me…_" Angie growled as she lifted herself into a new posture against the wall. "_Little troublemakers…_ I'm all for a good prank… _but… I'm so tired._ Not very nice to mess with a sleepy… _person…_ you know that?"

Pachirisu blinked at her, tilting its head.

"Don't play dumb with me… You guys are just waiting for me… _to go to… sleep._"

"Just go to sleep, Angie…" Tracey yawned. He closed his sketchpad and adjusted his back against a bedframe. "I'll watch them."

"Last time you said that, you woke up upside-down on the ceiling."

"Won't happen again. I'm onto their tricks now."

Angie deeply wanted to take his offer, but refused. She stood straight and shook her head awake. "_These guys need a job around the base._ Or at least be allowed to battle!"

"_You know the Resistance won't like them walking around the base…_" Tracey sighed. "And we don't have many Potions left… Without a working Pokémon Center anywhere nearby, it'd be too risky to have a battle between them."

"So we just let them rest in their poké balls. Or at least use some normal medicine. Won't kill 'em."

"We don't know that. And we don't know how much a poké ball can cure…"

"Ask Solana. She's a fricken' expert on that stuff."

"Would, but Solana hasn't come back yet."

Angie groaned. Frustrated, she planted her fist against the wall. "Where is everyone?! It's almost night time! _I think…_" She quickly checked her pokédev just to be sure. "No. It IS night time! We've been watching this room for hours and not a single one of them has come back yet!"

"They could be just wandering around the base…"

"_While we're trapped with their crazed brats…_ No offense to you guys. You didn't do anything wrong." A few of the pokémon nearby nodded in appreciation. She returned her attention back to Tracey. "Seriously, Ash and Maylene should've been back by now. And I swear I heard Rilana coming earlier."

"…Rilana?"

"Ritchie and Solana? Rilana. May came up with it."

"Speaking of… Did you see her at all this morning?"

"I saw her run off looking for Ash and Maylene last night. I was going to follow, but Bianca wouldn't let me through the door."

"Looking for Ash and Maylene? They didn't come back last night?"

"Not until an hour before we left for our Early Morning Thinker stuff."

Tracey snickered. "No wonder you've been tired all day. You didn't get any sleep, huh?"

"I was going to sleep once Ash got back. Didn't want him to skip out on sleep again, y'know?"

The Sketch-Artist nodded. "Right. So… May didn't come back?"

"Nope. Just Misty and Anabel. Then Ash. Then Maylene came back the same time Dawn and Gary arrived. No May."

"You think… _something happened to her?_"

"Nah. She's fine. I'm more concerned about Maylene."

"Maylene?"

Angie nodded and sat to the floor. "Been acting funny since she got back. May have met with May. Probably the reason why bandana-head's missing. _I don't think she murdered her or anything like that. _I just think that something private happened between the two. Whether they got into a fight, or planned something behind everyone's back? I dunno. I just know that Maylene's been jittery since." Leaning her head against the wall, she sighed. "May can take care of herself. And she's been growing a bit distant since we finally got some sleep in this base. Knowing her, she probably wants more private time now. But to see Maylene like that? Cool-headed Maylene? That's got me more bothered."

"May's been more hot-headed as of late. She's acting more like Ramie than her usual self. You think Maylene's being affected too?"

"_No way._ Maylene was the closest to Ramie than the rest of us. If anything, she's acting LESS like Ramie now. _…I think._ I dunno. I don't ever remember Ramie being so… nervous. _Not unless you count when she'd…_" Angie's words lowered to a mutter.

Tracey stared at her curiously, waiting for her to continue her thoughts.

…

The tomboy never did.

"Uhm… So –"

"**THAT MAYLENE!**" Angie roared, interrupting and startling all within the room. Her eyes widened and her nose flared. "**THAT'S WHAT SHE MEANT ABOUT HAVING A DATE!**" In seconds, she forced herself to her feet and charged out the door. The pokémon in her path scurried away quickly, understanding her frightening intentions.

The tomboy slammed the door behind her and continued her aggravated yells as she disappeared deeper down the Corridor. Tracey simply stared nervously at the door, afraid that she would have forgotten something in the room and return with all her fury. An eerie silence fell over the area, as many of the pokémon also held the same nervous fear.

…

"_Well, at least the pokémon are behaving now…"_ the Sketch-Artist giggled at the positive-take of the situation. "Would have been nice if I knew what she was talking about…"

Tracey sighed, a smile growing as time passed in quiet. He was glad to have silence once again. Throughout his experience with the team, he had always kept himself within the company of others. Being around others had kept him sane, comfortable, and stable – protected from the shadows that struck at the corners of his mind. But being within the presence of others was just as hindering as it was beneficial: Stresses from personal arguments, confusion from hidden motives, and anxiety from rumors and gossips… all of it drove him closer to a different form of insanity. A sudden removal of their influences was just what he needed.

With Angie gone, the last of the _'other noises'_ disappeared. Only his thoughts and his emotions remained now. And though this normally would have been a cause of concern for him – as he didn't quite trust his mind and heart anymore – his current concerns had prevented him from falling prey to his own illnesses. _"Bianca…"_

The female Sketch-Artist of Alto Mare had been on his mind since the end of the morning meeting. His intense concern for her had refused his own weaknesses from overcoming him. All that he let matter to him was her and her well-being…

Subtle tones and use of words would have hinted several inner troubles Bianca had held during that time and moment, but it was the most obvious fact that held warning flags higher than all else: _Leanne had begun a meeting without Ash or Sato._ She never started a meeting without him. Her shy and intrapersonal approach towards others had always prevented her from holding conferences without the comforting presence of Ash or his alter ego. Yet that morning, she began, continued, and completed a meeting without either of them.

Something troubled her – _something that concerned Ash or Sato_ – and she made it clear that she didn't want to speak of it with anyone.

Tracey was Tracey, the closest of the males in the team to the brown-haired Bianca – even closer than Ash, who had spent more time with the other females in the team than with her. Farron was Farron, the closest of the males in the team to the blond-haired Leanne – even closer than Sato, who could only find rare moments to speak with her casually. Between the two of them, both Bianca and Leanne should have been more than willing to speak to Tracey. Yet that would never be the case: Bianca and Leanne only wished to discuss their innermost feelings to Ash and Sato, no one else. And her refusal to hold a conference with either of the two only showed the fact that she no longer trusted anyone with her emotions.

_You idiot, Ash… What did you do now? You can pull whatever you did to any of the girls in the group… But you don't do that with Bianca or Leanne. Those two are sensitive… Make one wrong move, and they'll snap. Because they only listen to you. Because they only listen to you: They'll snap at your slightest mistake! That's just irresponsible, Ash… What did you do…?_

"_Date…"_ Tracey's eyes widened, repeating Angie furious words in his memory. "Date?!"

Everything connected perfectly: Maylene's rescheduling of her Thinker duty to make time to meet with Ash, their disappearance throughout the night, Maylene's nervous behavior, May's rescheduling of her own duty with Ash to allow Maylene to take over, May's disappearance, Leanne's lone-led meeting, and Ash and Maylene's continual absence from Room E-7… He couldn't explain the details connecting two specific ones or the inner facts within each, but he knew all of them – added with Angie's aggressive suspicion – easily pointed to the fact that Maylene had finally followed through with her constant promises of asking Ash out.

"But now?! NO! _No – No – No – No – No – No – No!_" He climbed into a stand and began to pace anxiously. "_Not now!_ Not now! DARNIT ASH!"

Ash's pokémon within the room stared at him in concerned interest. Their Trainer had done something to upset someone… _yet again._ This time, however, the problem he caused seemed far more urgent – as it troubled the normally calm-tempered Sketch-Artist.

Tracey hurriedly dug through his bag, searching desperately for his radio. "Seriously, Ash?! You had to start dating _now_?! Bianca's doing _everything_ she can just to get you to look her way, and you just reject her completely without even a glance?!" He threw out several items from his baggage, cursing himself for depending on other's radios for so long. He continued speaking to himself – a habit grown from being often ignored within the team, "_You could have waited Ash…_ You could have waited until she calmed down first! She's still overstressed from all the insane thinking she's been putting herself through! Now you're going to drive her over the edge with this selfish little choice of yours!"

Admittedly, Tracey had felt a great pride for the naïve boy he used to look after, finally having grown up and showed a mature interest in a partner – and he had felt a strange sense of relief that the boy had finally chosen one of the many who had shown a strong interest in him… but what mattered most to him was Bianca. His friend, his confidant, and his own interest…

An interest he refused to act on while he continued to recover from unknown ailments. As long as he wasn't fully himself, _as long as he was a burden_, he would never approach the female Sketch-Artist on such enthusiasms. _Bianca deserves a good man… I'm not that man quite yet…_

Through time and experience, Bianca had come to matter more to Tracey than his own wants and needs. She had given him everything he had ever desired without asking for anything in return… and without showing an immature form of dependence. She was a strong, independent, focused, and determined individual. Only her desire to become someone "worth it" had driven her to show submission and uncertainty towards others.

Yet to Tracey, he _knew_ she was "worth it". He knew she was worth everything due to her selflessness and humbled care for others. And he dearly wanted someone to show her everything she was worth… _But now the only one she ever desired to prove her worth to… found someone worth more than her._

"Not if I can help it…" Tracey found the radio. "You're calling off that relationship, _Ash_. Team leader or not – you're only dragging us down with this decision." His fingers began to work the dials, searching for Ash's frequency.

A smaller hand stopped him from continuing. "_Huh?_" He looked up to the hand's owner… "_B-Bianca?_"

Her hair in a mess and her eyes showing stress beyond her knowing, the Alto Mare native stared into his eyes and slowly shook her head. Gently, she pressed his hands downward, discouraging his actions with the radio.

"_But Bianca…_ I'm doing this for you!"

She shook her head with more determination. A spark of shock seemed to appear in her eyes, catching his words and the meaning behind them.

_She was going to figure it out eventually…_ He gripped his hands around hers, desperately gazing into her eyes. "Whether he wants it or not, I'm going give him a piece of my mind! _I won't let Ash treat you this way!_"

Bianca's face turned an absolute pink. Her hands slapping onto her eyes and cheeks, she covered her absolute shame from the moment.

Tracey blinked at her reaction, perplexed. "H-Huh?"

Bianca quickly pointed to her right.

Following her signal, Tracey turned to find the doorway of Room E-7 occupied. The entire team, sans the Mayas on an extension of their Noon Patrol and the still-missing Quinns, covered the entrance of the room… staring at the Sketch-Artist in amusement.

"_O-Oh._" Tracey immediately pulled away from the brown-haired Bianca and smiled awkwardly at the crowd. "H-Hey everyone! Wh-When did you get back?"

"_Emergency meeting._" Ash said almost with a tone of surrender.

"Emergency meeting." Angie repeated with an irritated growl.

* * *

An atmosphere of static unease surrounded the room of E-7.

Sitting within a wide circle, the eleven human members of Ash's team glanced and stared at one another in awkward silence. It had been an eventful day. For many, it had been an eventful three days as 'welcomed guests' of the HBR. Within their time in the Resistance's underground halls, subjects that had long been kept private and quiet between the individuals began to rise as popular topics of gossip and discussion. Arguments and conflicting desires that they had once been too busy to share with one another were now becoming their daily obstacles. With unnerving conflicts and decisions pushing at them from sides they never once considered, the entire team was slowly tearing at the seams… a problem they all sought to fix, but no one dared to be the first to take the responsibility.

That was the purpose of the 'emergency meeting' – to relieve the weight off one's shoulder through consensus. Or so the others hoped it would be… Those hopes were slowly draining as yet another three minutes passed in silence.

"What's first on the agenda then?" Gary spoke first. He never enjoyed the drama that had become the team's bread and butter, and desired to rid of it through this meeting. "We have Ritchie and Solana's report… Todd's report… Angie's complaint… BiBi's complaint… Tracey's complaint… and May's earlier absence to discuss."

The Coordinator seemed to flinch at the mention of her name, though she kept a straight face.

…

Responding to the returning quiet, Todd stepped forward. "Okay, I'll go first. So –"

"Is everyone okay with this?" Gary interrupted.

A few nods and a murmured _"Sure why not"_ answered the sudden question.

"Go ahead." Gary leaned back and waved for Todd to continue.

The Photographer shot him a look of annoyance before returning to the subject. "As I was saying. So I learned a lot of things after a talk I had with Tonya… Hunters kill all they catch, Empathics are big targets of theirs, Aura Guardians were in large numbers here until Hunters got them all, Psychics are the only ones common here…" he listed almost nonchalantly, though the others anxiously wanted him to elaborate on each of the points. "But that's not important…"

Todd paused, soaking in the dramatic tension quickly drowning the air. Before one of them could shout at him in protest, he continued, "Sources say that a large number of Psychics have formed their own little Resistance in the Kanto region… Specifically, in Saffron City."

Everyone turned towards Ash. Though the blind Empathic had no direct connection to the Psychics of Saffron, his bond with Sabrina had made him the focus of the news.

Ash gave a curious facial expression. He had no idea how to react. On one hand, he realized that the others had wanted him to show concern or determination on the subject… On the other, he had known about this news for quite some time. It was one of the many details that the brown-haired Bianca had found within her searches through the Archive. She had meant to keep it a secret from everyone, including him, and she had decided to continue her silence on the matter, but Ash had found out without the need of her words or intentions. A tinge of guilt had filled him for prying secrets from his own friends; however, he believed that he had done so in order to protect them…

Deciding it best to choose the side of ignorance, Ash frowned and nodded towards Todd. "We might have to meet with them…"

"Exactly what I was thinking." Todd smirked, proud of his contribution. While his information wasn't one the team could immediately act on, he was sure it would finally point them in a direction of action. He was tired of waiting for the Leannes to come up with a decision on what to do next – and he knew his mentions would finally spur the team from their forced waiting games. "I don't know when the Quinns get back, but we can probably bring this little nugget of news up to her as soon as they do get back. With her in charge of an entire city of Psychics, we're definitely going to have quite an army by the end of this…"

"_Having an army didn't really help us last time."_ May mumbled.

"Hm?"

"Nothing." She returned to her role as a quiet third party.

Todd shrugged and stepped back. "That's all I've got. I'm done."

Solana stepped forward next, with Ritchie shadowing her silently. "We have information to add."

Gary glanced around the room for opposition. Without any, he nodded. "Go ahead."

"The Patrol team we were paired with this morning… They've previously been in contact with Operation Beta."

This time, Gary was the one to react. His interest finally piqued, he questioned, "What do you mean 'been in contact with'? We were told by the Trio that the HBR was never affiliated with them, nor have they ever come into contact with them."

"And they're correct." Ritchie added, "HBR isn't affiliated with them. And they don't ever want to be affiliated with them. Operation Beta is under suspicion of being a false organization working under the Rocket Empire."

"What?!"

The organized meeting fell into chaos as each member of the team began to murmur, whisper, and growl their opinions on the recent news. Only two remained quiet: Ash and the Bianca of Alto Mare. Both had known the news beforehand, and both knew what would be said next.

"_Suspicion_ is the key word here." Solana pointed out. "From stories and rumors of other Resistance groups disappearing whenever they've become involved with Operation Beta, it's easy to see where this suspicion comes from. However, the Patrol team we were sent off with had actually been involved in a classified co-op mission with Operation Beta before. From their perspective and experience, Patrol Team Scope argues that it's simply the nature of Beta's missions that had compromised the other Resistance guilds: High risk for high reward. And from the stories and evidences they've shared with us: We're more inclined to believe Team Scope's perspective over the suspicions of the uninvolved Resistance guilds."

"So they're kind of doing missions like we are?" the blond-haired Bianca asked cautiously as she raised her hand. "Does that mean we're risking the people of the HBR too?" The Unova native found her concern more in the people they had involved themselves with rather than what the news meant for their future.

"Nothing like we're doing." Gary answered her concerns. An amused smile was seen on his face. "_That's just like Iris… All or nothing._" Returning to a more serious expression, the former Pokémon Researcher raised his hand as if volunteering. "I'll vouch for Team Scope's story. Without someone else in the head to guide her, Iris can be known for running impossibly high risk operations."

"So we can trust Operation Beta?" Maylene asked for confirmation.

"Definitely… If we can find them, of course."

"That's what we were going to mention next, actually." Solana reentered the discussion. "Team Scope believes Operation Beta is going to spying on the large meeting HBR's holding soon."

"The one with the other Resistance representatives?"

"The very one. A meeting like this rarely occurs, and they think it's going to get a lot of attention… mostly from the Empire. And if the Empire's involved, then Operation Beta are more than likely going to involve themselves."

"Makes sense…"

Tracey raised his pencil to add his own opinion, "A fact like that wouldn't have been ignored by the HBR. Do you think they're preparing for this somehow? And if they are, then will Operation Beta be caught in the crossfire?"

"_Operation Beta won't be caught in the crossfire…_"

Everyone turned their attention to the brown-haired Bianca. The female Sketch-Artist who normally led and guided their daily conferences and discussions had not spoken a single word since her agreement to hold an emergency meeting. Her first words carried a guilty tone of confidence… A tone that had made it obvious that what she was stating was not an analyzed opinion, but a known fact. Several of the members who heard her speak felt a tinge of betrayal that she had withheld such information… despite not being surprised whatsoever.

She cleared her throat and continued with her nervous mention, "_Operation Beta won't be caught in the crossfire… _b-because they're already preparing for the Hearthome Branch Resistance's countermeasure against them."

A hint of nervousness rang louder in her voice; a hint Gary had caught with irritation. Leaning forward and narrowing his eyes, he pressed an interrogation, "And you know what that countermeasure is… _don't you?_"

"You all should know what it is." she defended herself with stronger confidence. She had masterfully baited them to this very defense. "Every information you had gained during your first searches through this base… add it all up and you should have been able to piece together what had been the most obvious conclusion."

"_Not all of us are geniuses."_ Angie groaned. "Spell it out for the dummies."

"The Patrols you've been sent to… The training regiments you've been given… Equipment changes to the individuals… Politics that have been swirling around lately… Security measures you've been subjected to… Our schedules that are held parallel to the HBR…"

…

Bianca waited. She continued staring at the floor, avoiding their stares. The silence that continued only told her what she needed to know: _None of them get it yet…_ "…The Hearthome Resistance thinks we're Operation Beta."

"**WHAT?!"** the entire room roared in shock. Several of the members stood almost as if denying an accusation.

Bianca continued staring at the floor, waiting for their confused and surprised reactions to calm. Her eyes suddenly moved towards an open space of unexpected silence. The figure in silence hadn't reacted to her news. To her surprise, she realized that he hadn't reacted to anything the others had said. _He's… known? How does he know? How long has he known?_ Ash's blind eyes regarded hers. He simply smiled. _…His Empathy shouldn't be able to read me that effectively… Should it?_

Ash knew well that his Empathy, as trained as it was, could never clearly read the ever-careful female from Alto Mare. However, he found strength in numbers in his efforts to unlock the labyrinth-like mind of Bianca. _Misty should be here for this meeting…_

"Why would they think we're Operation Beta?" Maylene cut the chaos with her straightforward question. She leaned forward this time, eyeing Bianca from her position next to Ash. "None of us even match the descriptions of anyone on that team!"

"We have pokémon. We know how to use them. And we're supposedly eluding the Rocket Empire. What other evidence do they need?" Bianca responded calmly.

Gary decided to give a more effective argument, "But we convinced them who we were in our personal meeting with their Bosses. Not only that, but this meeting with the other Resistance groups was _made for us_. That nullifies the theory that they're preparing against us in that meeting, since _they_ were the ones to suggest that meeting for us in the first place. And considering that they don't trust Operation Beta yet gave us full access to their facilities? Your analysis falls flat there, BiBi."

"Except for the fact that I never mentioned that the countermeasure the HBR was preparing against us was _for_ the meeting." Bianca finally looked up, facing everyone with scrutinizing eyes. "Ever consider that the meeting isn't _for_ us, but _against_ us?"

"But why would they do that?" Gary massaged his forehead, almost feeling embarrassed for the young woman's flawed logic. "They know we're working against Team Rocket. They know who they are now. They know who we are now. They have no reason to disbelieve us."

"I never said they don't believe us either. I said that they think we're Operation Beta, and the meeting is going to be used against us. And even if they know us – it doesn't guarantee that they'll support us. It simply means they know the identities of who they're acting against."

He sighed in frustration. "_There must be something you're failing to communicate with us, because I still don't understand how that logic works._ Please, elaborate."

Bianca stood and pressed her clothing's wrinkles flat. As if confessing to a guilty crime, she took in a deep breath and explained what she had known all along, "The other Resistance groups are afraid of Operation Beta. And they avoided them with great effort. At one point, the HBR may have been the same way. But not anymore. They know who we are. They know what we stand for. And they know that we can be trusted…

"For a long time, we've thought that these facts put us at the advantage in this relationship: Simply using them for our own missions and needs. But the fact is: we aren't. We haven't been at any advantage. We're not being treated like _special guests_. We're being treated as _prisoners with special privileges_. They let us walk around, eat their food, fraternize with their soldiers and guards, and help them on their missions because they want us to gain a sense of security and trust… In the end, however, _we're_ being used by _them_."

She snapped her fingers.

Shifting into reality, Latias hovered to the center of the encircled team. Rather than holding a sense of surprise, _as they had gotten quite used to the Eon Pokémon's sudden appearances_, the individual members shared a sense of concern: Whenever Latias was summoned to a meeting's focus, devastating news usually followed.

Her eyes shined a bright blue, engulfing the room with her Sight Share ability. Visions of an unknown private meeting held by the Trio Bosses of the Hearthome Branch Resistance surrounded the team's circle. A top-down perspective gifted from Latias' psychic memory allowed the members to view their actions from several angles.

Within the vision, the three Bosses never spoke a word, only using small signed languages and pointed directions to communicate with one another. The silence only made it obvious that they were expecting the room to be bugged. And with their unique coded messages to one another, the team found it impossible to decipher their intentions.

Bianca, however, had cracked their code with relative ease. "The three of them spent hours on planning the meeting they had just agreed to give us with the other Resistance members. What we didn't know…" The vision moved and focused on the dates of files scattered about the table. Many of them were weeks old. "…was the fact that this 'meeting' had been planned before they had met any of us. For months, the HBR's biggest concern was to hunt down and find Operation Beta. They thought they had found them when they ambushed us in the Refuge."

"Why?" May's voice seeped through the vision. "Why would they be looking for us?"

"For the 'meeting'. The Resistance groups have needed to hold a face-to-face meeting for years, but they were all aware that such a meeting, even for just a handful of them, would have caused the Rocket Empire to charge in, rifles trained and targeted. The only reason they'd ever have to hold such a meeting with such risks… was if they were ever ready for a full counter-offensive against the Rocket Empire."

Changing in angle, the vision examined the corner of the conference table – where files on several weapon and personnel details were organized and coded. "And as Gary already made us aware of," Bianca continued, "They're nowhere near ready. They'll never be ready. For every step forward they make, the Empire takes ten steps. The Empire's expanding too fast, improving too quickly, and simply empowering themselves to impossible heights that the Resistance groups can never catch up. They don't have the resources to assault the Empire. But at the same time, they can no longer afford to stall their efforts. The more time they spend preparing an attack, the more the Empire's defenses will grow immune to any and all offenses."

"So they need Operation Beta to play as bait for their final assault."

Ash's entrance to the discussion caused many to look up in surprise. Latias reacted similarly, losing her focus on her Sight Share. The visions disappeared completely – and all eyes were on Ash…

He smiled awkwardly at their attention. With a cough, he finally added his discoveries to the meeting, "Operation Beta's been the only group to even leave a dent on the Empire, and they do it on fewer resources and manpower. But their record with other Resistance groups makes them too risky to ally with. So if the Resistance can't trust them as partners on this operation, they're going to use them instead. As bait: Operation Beta can get enough of the Empire's forces off the Resistance's tail… just enough for one final assault."

"And what makes them think they'll even make a difference this time around?" Todd sneered. "If they couldn't do it before, I'd bet that they couldn't even do it now. They're still outgunned and outnumbered, even if we miraculously got _half_ of the Empire's attention as bait!"

"That's true for the other Resistance groups maybe, but not the HBR."

"And what makes you so sure about that?"

"Because they're hiding something in this base. Something big. A weapon, most likely."

"_A big weapon?_" Todd shook his head. "Tsh. Don't you think we would've caught wind of something like that during our searches?"

"You did." Ash nodded towards Bianca.

Bianca hesitated, nervous to follow his silent orders. _…Why should I? …No, I should stay professional. Stay professional, BiBi…_ She reached into her bag and pulled out a large number of folders and files, several of them containing Todd's photographs and Tracey's sketches of hidden passages located throughout the HBR base. The specific one Ash was looking for, a photograph Todd had taken of two guards posing in front of an indented wall, was slid to the center of their encircled seating positions.

"That hidden passageway you took a picture of is the only one that doesn't lead to a surface exit or a tunnel." The blind Empathic tapped on the photograph… hoping that it was the correct one. "That has to be the one that leads to whatever they're hiding."

"And whatever it is," Bianca, solemnly accepting of Ash's full knowledge of everything she had attempted to hide, helped in his explanation, "It's directly underneath a large portion of unused land on the surface. And with how the base is designed, it's easy to notice that all backup generators are connected to whatever is hidden inside there."

Angie spat out a toothpick she had curiously chewing on. "Okay. Stop there. Now that you've explained all that–"

"But what about–"

Tracey was interrupted by Angie throwing the toothpick at him. "_No._ No more questions about that. They told us everything we need to know about it. If we keep digging deeper into it, the more we're going to be dragged away from the main question! _It's how she always keeps us in the dark. Makes us ask the wrong questions…_"

"Main question?"

"Yeah. Main question. BiBi here said that Operation Beta's already preparing for the HBR's countermeasure. Far as I know, we're not Operation Beta. They just think we are. And as far as I know, we didn't prepare for anything! We've just been playing into HBR's plans!" She stared at Ash accusingly. "_Am I wrong? Or have we been secretly doing something without knowing it?_"

"You would be correct." Bianca answered for Ash. "We've done nothing but do exactly as HBR wanted Operation Beta to have done…"

"Because we're stalling for Operation Beta." Ash concluded.

"…_Stalling? _Stalling for what?" Gary crossed his arms. A curious smile was held back. As upset as he was for being kept in the dark, he couldn't help but be impressed at the level of coordination and organization it would have taken for both Ash and Bianca to have solved as much as they did without anyone else noticing.

"For Operation Beta to complete their mission. They've been here before we even arrived."

"…_What?_" Gary's held smile disappeared.

"You should've noticed before anyone else, Gary." A strangely familiar voice spoke, quieting all other noises. The speaker walked forward from the shadows…

"T-Tonya?" Todd flinched. "What are you doing here?"

Tonya ignored him, staring directly at Gary with a smug smile. "I've walked by you several times. Even talked to you once. And not once did you ever recognize me…"

Gary's eyes widened as the woman peeled away the skin from her neck – revealing the elastic properties of her masterfully convincing mask. Her fingers slid a pair of contacts away from her eyes – revealing the true colors underneath. No longer a figure of perfect olive skin and silvered blue eyes, the woman of pale skin, brown eyes, and comparatively plain features stood in front of him almost mockingly. Her mischievous smile and arrogant expression showed pride in her successful trickery of the man that should have never fallen for her disguise…

"…_Duplica…"_

* * *

Duplica, the silver-famed Impressionist, Actress, and Pokémon Trainer from the Kanto region… had once been Gary's ace in the sleeve and his team's most valuable asset. With the ability to disguise herself as and imitate anyone she studied for longer than a minute, she was the most effective spy that he had ever known. And though he admittedly never met many spies, he had given her credit in comparison to the 'spies' of Ash's team. Where the others had to sneak and work their way through blind spots and loopholes in enemy territory – Duplica could accomplish whatever task they were counted on in half the time, with her disguises allowing her to hide in plain sight.

It was due to this impressive record that Gary had missed her most during their missions within their new reality… though he never verbally confessed it. He had his standards, and complaining and reminiscing within dangerous situations that needed a clear and mature mind would have only gone against everything his old team had stood for. But now, with the rowdy master of masquerade returned to his side, he could say it, "_I missed you…_"

"Would love to say the same thing, but I can't."

It was a simple response, but it explained everything he needed to know.

Duplica had changed. Her altered memories and experiences had formed her into an entirely different person than the one he had known so long ago… Yet her essence, her spirit, remained the same. It was through that spirit that he could understand what she had meant in her words: She couldn't remember her past.

Despite her familiar approach to him and natural acclimation to his mindset, she had no idea who 'Gary' was beyond his name and looks. It was all an act. It was just a part of her disguise to give her the sense of an advantage while the others were aware of her. Deep inside, she was just as lost and as confused as the rest – yet continued functioning outwardly with a strong form of professionalism… much like Gary himself.

He turned his attention towards the group. They were busying themselves on the argument of Ash's newfound relationship with Maylene. The topic would soon escalate as the Mayas had just returned from their extended Patrol mission. It would be some time before they could find any conclusion. Just as he wanted.

Away from the team, sitting at the edge of his assigned bed, Gary had taken his conversation with Duplica to a more private distance. What she wanted to discuss were for his ears alone, and he gladly made time away from the drama to hear it.

"I've already been briefed with what happened."

Gary nodded. "Who told you about me?"

"Wouldn't it be more important to ask who briefed me about the entire situation?"

"_The way you're talking to me now…_" he hesitated. All sense of professionalism and stoicism were slowly drifting away the longer he looked into her eyes. Her mannerisms and reactions towards him were far too familiar for him to pretend as if he were talking to a stranger. This was Duplica – the only Duplica he had ever known… the one he loved and cared for dearly… the one he, in his most stressful moments, tried selfishly to replace with the tomboy Angie. "_It's like how you used to talk to me._ That's not something to ignore over general facts." he finished his sentence with a clearing of his throat.

Duplica exhaled slowly. She hadn't planned for the conversation to turn personal, but there was no avoiding it. Admittedly, she found herself curious of where such conversations could lead to. But she would only allow it if the discussion naturally pulled itself towards the topic. Beyond that, she could only guarantee the both of them answers for questions.

Inconspicuously, she pointed to the young woman with blond hair with a tilt of the head.

"…Bianca?"

"She was the first to recognize me." Duplica answered. "I would have never believed any of her crazy stories if it weren't for the fact that she was able to identify me underneath my disguise. No one's supposed to be able to see through my disguises. No one except for the members of 'Alpha Team' apparently – and you especially."

"I was the team leader of Alpha Team… and you were my second in command."

"So I was told. And… _we supposedly had a relationship_?"

A smirk formed on his face as he shook his head. "No. Not like that. Just rumors that were spreading in the team. I saw you more as a sister than anything else."

"Ah. I see…"

…

Duplica fell into silence as she watched the arguments within the distant group fume. One of them – a lilac-haired young woman that was normally seen in a very calm disposition – was sobbing rather loudly. Two others – one that Todd had introduced to her as Misty, another who had introduced herself as Angie – were physically abusing the team leader named Ash. The most martially capable in the team, a pink-haired woman known as Maylene, kept her distance from the brawl – awkwardly wondering if the situation called her to step in or stay out. The others bickered over other events and problems that supposedly had indirect links to the recently-made relationship. With conversations and roars happening in all directions, it was a surprise to the former Impressionist that the foreign team could understand who was speaking to whom.

"Quite a funny team you've got there." She giggled.

"_They're always like that._" Gary sighed. "It's why we mostly keep those meetings as short as possible and stay split up for most of the day. If they're all grouped together like that for too long, it _always_ ends up chaotic…"

"I can tell. Bianca said our old team wasn't like that at all."

"Alpha and Beta always handled themselves professionally. And we never let relationships get in the way of our meetings or missions."

Duplica turned back towards him and shrugged her shoulders. "You don't seem too interested in fixing this team."

"I've tried, believe me. But they're strangely more effective this way." Gary regarded her attention and turned as well. "You have to remember that our team was eventually working for them. And that their… _'efficient'_ team mechanics allowed them to get further and accomplish tasks faster compared to any of our efforts against Team Rocket."

"Technically I can't."

"Hm?"

"I mean: I technically can't remember that."

"Right…" _'It's just, when I look at you – it doesn't feel like a day has passed since we last spoke.' _is what Gary dearly wanted to say, but prevented himself. _She's different now. There's no changing that._ "Sorry."

"If it helps, and it's strange for me to admit, but I wish I could remember."

He nodded in response, not wishing to move the personal subject further than necessary.

"I hear that the Bosses of the HBR remember their past, though."

"Only took them a few minutes. They needed a bit of extra push, though. They had to see faces they were more familiar with before any real results came out of their memories."

"That must be strange… remembering an entire life before this one."

"Mm." he silently agreed. He questioned whether he should have made a conversation of his own experiences, as she seemed keen on expanding the topic of memories. However, with no knowledge of how much she knew of every event that had transpired to this point, he decided against it. "You seem to be taking this 'past' news rather well. Considering that you don't remember it, I'm surprised you would even be willing to give the idea a chance."

"I guess I'm a little more open-minded about these things than other people are. I always got the feeling there was something 'wrong' about all _this_. The world, that is. And not just morally wrong. But as if something was messed up and needed to be fixed. It's one of the reasons why I joined Dragon's crew."

"Joined? You weren't always a part of her team?"

"Yeah, joined." She raised her brow at his strange question. "Wouldn't it be weird if I was born as part of a crew?"

The question didn't seem strange to Gary, however. An unfinished void hovered at the end of Duplica's answer, and he intended to complete it. He straightened his back and scratched at his chin, peering into her eyes for honesty. "How many members are in Operation Beta?"

His reaction startled her. Something was occurring, and once again she found herself in the dark. It was an uncomfortable experience that she still couldn't get used to with Ash's team. "_U-Um…_ You mean the main group or our splinter groups?"

"Just the main one." He wanted to ask for more details on the splinter groups, but he had no time for any further distractions. _If it's that important, it'll come up again in a later discussion._

"Twelve." Duplica's eyes twitched away from his. The reaction normally signaled to a false response from an individual… however, the former Duplica had aggressively trained herself in the field of acting. So much so, that it was often difficult for her to reveal any form of truth while looking into anyone's eyes. If she had adopted the old trait into the new reality as well, it was a sure sign that she was only telling the truth.

"…Twelve?" Though the truth was even more confusing to Gary than an obvious lie. "But…"

He glanced at the blond-haired Bianca and raised a finger. Pointing at himself, he raised another. A third finger was raised when he looked back to Duplica. "Counting us three, there should only be seven of them left…"

"Actually, counting me out, there's only eleven." she clarified with an apologetic smile. "But counting me in… Yeah, there were only eight of us at the start. How'd you figure that out?"

Gary didn't seem to care to answer her casual question. "_Iris… Cilan… Greta…_" he murmured to himself as he raised a finger for each, "_Brock, Lucy… Khoury… and Lyra._"

Duplica's eyes widened in surprise. "Wow… That's impressive! At first I was a tiny bit doubtful that all this 'past' stuff held any weight. Because, you know, _it sounds crazy_. But you just named off all of the original members! Heck, not even the others in our team know all our names. Code names and such. People call me 'Ditto', by the way."

"Who are the other four members?" he pushed the question, ignoring her comments.

"They were people who joined our group after their Resistance groups got decimated. Brave bunch, they are. They could have joined any other Resistance groups afterwards, but they wanted to stick it out with us – when we're the ones to blame for their losses."

"Names."

"Hm?"

"I want names."

…

Duplica's eyes narrowed as a strange feeling overcame her. His harsh and direct command seemed… _'familiar'_. It wasn't a positive sense of familiarity. "_We…_ have an old man. His name's Lance. And –"

Gary made a swift look towards the group and returned a serious glare to Duplica. "Liza, Bill, and Dana!"

"How did y–"

"Where are they?!"

"Excuse me…?"

"Where's Operation Beta! Are you the only one here or did they follow you!"

His hands were gripped firmly around her shoulders. She found the action to be rude, intrusive, overaggressive, and… far more familiar. _This is just the way he handles things on his team. He's just concerned about the others._ Duplica's eyes widened at unintended the thoughts.

"I uh… _Uhm…_" Her heart raced in panic. She felt cornered, prevented from any form of flight. It was a terrible feeling, one that she didn't wish to experience _again_. A lie would have been enough to throw anyone off, but the man in front of her… _knew_ who she was. On a far more intimate level than she originally believed. There would be no escape for her. _Unless –_

"Don't…" **–snff–** "…even… try it."

Duplica shivered as a far more menacingly familiar feeling arose. The sensation was warbled, estranged, and hardly what it was when she _originally_ experienced it – but it carried the _same_ overwhelming power behind it.

She turned, finding the lilac-haired woman staring at her with reddened eyes. Anabel had been crying – she was still crying – yet a focused, almost calculated venom could be seen in her expression, one that had been reserved just for Duplica.

"Your hand." **–snff–** Anabel wiped away another mess of liquids from her nostrils with a handkerchief. "Move it away from there right now."

Her hands froze, hovering over a hidden distress beacon embedded in her belt loop. The fact that the woman had known about her attempt was enough reason for Duplica to stop in her action – but the terrifying aura that was emanating from Anabel had only given her true purpose to send the call now more than ever.

Tackle the woman away, fingers triple-press beacon, kick off bed, reverse roll, throw closest projectile, twist at the waist and heel, press and sprint, dash towards corner, gain attention for opening, force through, race through doorway, and take hidden exit within Corridor D. Reinforcements to arrive in thirty clicks, hold position until twenty-two is reached.

That, at least, was what she commanded her body to do.

Instead, she continued to sit. To sit and stare blankly at the man in front of her. Gary was holding her hands gently, hoping to calm her nerves. It was a softening gesture, if it weren't for the fact that _he wasn't the one responsible for her inaction…_

Duplica couldn't move. Something inside her was refusing her body from taking commands. Seconds had passed before she realized its source.

"_You really should've listened to Anne."_ a voice whispered into her ear threateningly. It was the female named May. Her finger was pressed against Duplica's back only by the slightest touch – and that connection, as minimal as it was, was the only thing that halted her narrow escape.

She was caught – completely. There truly was no escape now; she was at the mercy of ones who had played at her sense of superiority… ones who had lulled her into a sense of security through false advantages… She was no longer in control. She was never in control. And now she would be the puppet they needed to get everything they ever desired. Her future was now forfeit to their will…

"_Keep your eyes on Gary…"_ the woman continued to whisper in her ear. Whatever she was doing to her, she made it obvious that she didn't want the others to find out. _"Now relax your shoulders… just like that. Now when I let go, you're going to listen to us, got it?"_

A tingle in her neck gave her permission to tilt her head. A shake or a nod was all she was allowed. A hesitant nod was all she dared to answer with.

"_I'm going to let go… Remember to keep your eyes on Gary. Don't even try to look at me. Or else."_

Another nod.

May gently moved her finger away, bringing a creeping flow of sensation back into Duplica's senses. Slowly and comfortably, the Beta spy was given back full control. And as instructed, she used none of her control to face her offender. Her brown eyes remained locked onto the green eyes in front of her.

"I'm sorry," Gary apologized with a half-bow. "I didn't mean to corner you like that… _I just…_ We need this kind of information, badly. It can change everything for us."

Duplica frowned and glanced around her, ensuring that her eyes never reached May's figure. The entire team had surrounded her… all within the moment she had decided to use her distress beacon. "Your group's pretty impressive." she complimented in her defeat, "You had me fooled into thinking that you were all fighting amongst each other over something so trivial, when you were really just keeping an eye on me from a distance. Though I should've expected as much from a group that had eluded the Empire's direct attention for this long."

"_Um…_" Ash, their team leader, stepped forward, pointing at a black eye he recently gained. "We weren't really pretending to fight…" He gave a nervous laugh.

"And we STILL need to finish discussing it." Angie growled. "If anything, YOU interrupted our little discussion by attempting a stunt like that."

Duplica folded her arms and leaned back against the bed frame. Her freedom may have been forfeit from this moment on, but she had no care for cowering under the fact. Confident acceptance was the only emotion she decided to show to her captors. "Then, if you don't mind me asking… How in the world did you figure what I was going to do?"

"You've got _three_ Empathics in the room, genius!" the tomboy scoffed. "Add it up and you'd be stupid to try anything at all."

Duplica's eyes narrowed. "…Empathics?" It took all her effort to prevent herself from shooting a glare towards May. _Is this what Empathics are capable of…?_ "How have the Hunters not already found this base? They can sniff an Empathic from cities away."

"We have our ways." Anabel answered plainly as she brushed away the last of the tears from her eyes. "Now please, answer Gary's question: Where's the rest of Operation Beta?"

…

"If you want to keep loyal by staying quiet, I'll allow and even admire it." the lilac-haired woman continued after a moment's silence. She inched forward and folded one of her sleeves open. "However, I can take the answer from you if that's your choice."

Anabel's bare fingers frightened Duplica far more than she thought it would have. "Th-They're stationed at different exit points of the base depending on what time and day it is! They shadow the HBR's schedules! And their Patrol routes! You won't see them immediately, but I swear they're there! They always stay close enough to receive my distress signal at any and all times! Right now they're at Corridor D's northeast hidden exit! They should all be there if you send someone out far enough!"

Taking advantage of the sense of panic, Maylene dug deeper with the interrogation, "What are they doing out there while you're in here? Do you ever get in contact with them? When and how? How armed are they? Would we be able to contact them safely? And what should we be expecting if they think you're double-crossing them at any point?"

"I'll tell you everything! Just please! Tell her to put her hand away!" Duplica's eyes were wide in horror; her most base instincts were the only ones left in control of her actions and words.

Anabel smirked as she rolled her sleeve back to its full length and buttoned it shut. _I think she might actually remember me…_

_I think so._ May agreed with her through great effort – doing her best to hide the truth behind the former Theater Actress' fears. She flinched when she felt a tap on her wrist. Pulling her back-embraced hands to the front, she found a note carefully tucked into her palm's slits. She turned and found an irritated Misty glaring at her. The Cerulean Gym Leader simply nodded down to the note and shrugged.

The interrogation continued, with each member occupying themselves with questions to ask the Beta Spy… much to the brown-haired Coordinator's benefit.

Quietly, she opened the note given to her…

'_Ash says he knows what you did. He wants to talk.'_


	13. The Couple

"You wanted to talk?"

May nervously walked into the janitorial room that she had followed Ash to. The space was small, yet hardly cramped. It was surprisingly clean for all the poorly kept cleaning materials contained inside, she noticed. Closing the door, she realized why Ash had chosen this place: A vacuum of air escaped the room just before the door shut, sucking out and silencing all noise from the outside. Any conversation made within the small room, would stay within the small room.

The fact that Ash had never gone as far as taking anyone to this room for a private conversation worried the Coordinator.

Wasting no time, Ash turned towards May and held out his hand. "Give me your hand."

"Wh-What?" Her face turned pink.

"If you want this talk to stay private between us, give me your hand. If not, I'm going to involve Sato in this." his tone was cold and fierce… a tone he adopted from Sabrina.

May realized that his request wasn't meant to threaten, but meant to request permission and warn of the alternative. Without Sato, Ash still couldn't see what lay in front of him. Though he could make accurate guesses through sounds and Empathy, the blind Empathic still worried over detailed movements that often required eyesight. Grabbing her hand would not have been a simple action for him…

She lifted her hand and placed it into his.

His fingers wrapped around her wrist and gripped tightly.

"Ow!"

A strange energy forced itself through May's arm. It tingled her every nerve as it twisted and turned inside her body. Meeting at her stomach, the energy pushed back out the course it had come through and exploded out her palms.

The room shined a soft blue as Aura flared from May's hand.

Her eyes widened. "_H-How did you –?_"

"I know you learned how to use Aura." Ash cut in with a far colder voice, "I don't know exactly how you were able to or why you did it. But I do know that you did something with it to Duplica that you shouldn't have."

She flinched at his chilling tone. This was not the boy from Pallet Town that she knew and grew to love… it was a monster created from the fearsome Psychic. The man she had known would have never threatened her, or spoken to her with such frightening intentions. His entire being felt 'wrong' and she couldn't figure out why he had changed now. "_A-Ash… This isn't like you._"

…

His stiff frown wavered. "…You… _You could have…_"

"…What?"

Ash's grip loosened and pulled itself away. "That technique you used on Duplica… You were controlling her will. _Don't…_ Don't use that." His blank eyes stared warily at the floor. "_It can kill you._ Aura Guardians aren't meant to control people; they can only suggest, protect, prevent, and clash with others. But they can _never_ use their powers to control people."

"I know… I remember Sabrina teaching you that."

His eyes narrowed and his tone returned to its original coldness. "Then why did you do it?"

"I wanted to see if it actually worked. I saw an opportunity, and I took it."

"Even if it could have killed you?"

"Half the things you've done were supposed to kill you according to Sabrina! What makes you think this would have been any different?!"

"Half the things I've done _HAVE_ nearly killed me every time!" he shouted, slamming his palm against a nearby casing. "And you _know_ for a fact that technique's different! I've never used it before because of how obviously dangerous it is!"

"What would you rather have me do? Let her hit the distress signal?!"

"You could have just grabbed her wrist! Ever thought about that?"

"And have you ever thought that she might overpower me and hit it anyways?"

"And have you ever thought that using a technique like that for something as simple as stopping a woman from pressing a button would have been a stupid waste?!"

"And what if she had pressed the button?! You think she would've just gotten away and disappeared for good?! Think about it! She'd probably find a way to sell us out to the HBR just to protect her team!"

"And what if you died?!"

"And what if I didn't! I stop the bad guy with a gamble and I don't even get a _'gee thanks'_ for accomplishing it!" she roared. Glaring away, May folded her arms and huffed, "Not like it would have mattered. I wasn't planning on telling anyone, and I certainly wasn't counting on you finding it out."

"_But why, May?_" his voice lowered in exhaustion, "Why do you even know that technique? Why did you have to try it there? Don't give me that _'She could have pressed the button'_ excuse… You know that's a poor one."

"Maybe I was just excited when I saw the opportunity to use Aura without panicking anyone…" She shrugged. "And _maybe_ I just happened to remember that technique from overhearing some lessons Sabrina gave you. _Maybe_ I originally tried to use that with Empathy and it didn't work out. So _maybe_ when I did have Aura, it was one of the first things I intended to try out. Look, does it matter why?"

"_Yes_, May. Yes, it matters why. Because I need to know why someone's almost killing themselves over something so stupid! And whether you like it or not, I know for a fact that you're faking it."

"Faking what?" May blew a flare of blue energy from her mouth. "My Aura's real as real can be."

"Not that." He took a step towards her and struck the side of her knee with his foot. May crumpled to the floor instantly with a gasp. "Faking that you're fine. That technique drained more out of you than you expected, and you've just been lying to yourself just to keep up appearances. It's hurting for you to walk. It's hurting you to stand. And I know it's hurting you just to keep talking."

Ash knelt down and sighed. "_Honestly, I'd rather that you be on a bed getting some rest._ But we need to talk about you running off with Maylene's lucario when everyone's looking for you."

"Hey! That was a proper deal between me and Maylene!" she growled defiantly, still refusing to show complete weakness. "She wants to date you without any problems on my end? I get to borrow her lucario and do whatever I want with him."

"And what about everyone else? What if people needed you while you ditched them?"

"They would've been fine without me. Besides, I think we're overdoing it with all these schedules and meetings anyways. We're getting stressed and crazy because of them. Have you _seen_ Maylene outside of a meeting? She goes crazy the instant she has nothing to d–!"

Ash had put his finger against her lips. "Stop chatting so much. Keep your answers small. I can feel your Aura fading fast."

She reluctantly nodded.

"_Look, May… I don't want you doing that again. _You had me worried sick when you did that. I was worried enough when I heard that you went missing… Then suddenly you come back, Aura swirling around you like a tornado, and you just throw it all on Duplica just because she was getting defensive? I thought all that Aura had made you crazy for some weird reason."

"_You…_ don't seem surprised that I'm an Aura Guardian now." May muttered through his finger with a hint of disappointment. _Just like you…_

"I am a bit surprised." Ash moved his finger away and smiled as he sat down next to her. He exhaled slowly and stared at the florescent lights that hung on the ceiling, letting his thoughts wander to the subject that had been on his mind for quite some time. "…You know, no one ever made it clear on how Aura Guardians are chosen. For all we know, anyone can become one. We probably just never figured out how. Maybe people are chosen to become one after proving themselves? And if anyone could've proven themselves to be an Aura Guardian, I'm not too surprised that it's one of the Ramies."

…

…

The Coordinator struck at Ash's arm with her elbow.

"_Ow!_ What was that for?"

"Really, Ash?" May glared at him in annoyance. "_Maylene?_ Really? _Of all the girls here… Of any of the Ramies…_ You chose Maylene? Really?"

"Wh-What? What's wrong with Maylene?"

"Nothing's wrong with her! But there's nothing _right_ about her either! I mean, all she had for you was her love of fighting. I mean, it isn't just for looks, but… _come on_, you've got to admit that's still shallow."

"She's actually really nice. And it's not like all we do is fight."

"I never said she wasn't nice. Maylene's a fun and great gal. I've spent more time with her recently than you probably have throughout this entire fiasco. I know she's really nice. But… _I mean…_ You didn't even get with **Angie**? She didn't spend much time with you either, but the time spent was at least _quality_!" May winced, feeling her Aura spike with her frustration.

Ash pressed his hand against hers, doing his best to comfort the pain with his own Aura. "_Calm down. You're pushing yourself._"

"…_Geez Ash…_" she muttered weakly, "I know you're unpredictable, but do you always have to choose the _exact opposite_ of what makes sense? …Maylene's a great gal. But you deserve someone better than her. She's so… _'normal'_. I mean, she isn't. But compared to the rest of us? Compared to the things we've done to show you that we're worth it? And you just chose her just because she _asked?_" She shook her head with a humored smile. "_You're not unpredictable, you're ridiculous._"

…

…

"…_I do appreciate what you've done._" he finally responded. "And you're more than worth it, May. That's why I asked to talk to you in private. Because you were going to kill yourself at the rate you were going. And it worried me… It really did… _I didn't want to lose you._"

_I did it because I didn't want to lose you either…_ May swallowed, trying her best to stop the tears that were forming. "_And…_ And I know you didn't get involved with this stuff because we didn't have time for it… And whether I like it or not, Maylene actually made time for you two to happen. None of us tried that. She was right all along: We _did_ just keep going after each other's throats, too busy to even ask you. We were just too stubborn to admit that we'd do something as stupidly predictable as that…"

She rolled her hand away from his and sat it gently on top. Her fingers folded against his, squeezing softly. "_She's good for you… _You need someone who isn't crazy like the rest of us. Someone who won't be too busy trying to prove themselves to you and would rather spend their time just being with you. And I think she's perfect for that." May smiled, wiping away the tear from her cheek. "I know you two will make an awesome couple."

"_May…_"

"But if she ever – EVER mistreats you…" Her hand gripped tightly around his. "Tell me, and I'll beat her senseless. And if she ever breaks your heart, I'll kill her myself."

"Uh…"

May pushed herself to her feet awkwardly and did her best to regain her sense of balance. "We should probably head back. We don't want to give your new girlfriend the wrong idea of having _'private conversations'_ in a closet." She reached down and tugged on Ash's sleeve, encouraging him to stand. "Don't worry about me; I'll be able to walk fine now. I just needed a chance to sit and let a few things out. …and I promise I won't worry you like that again. No more crazy Sabrina techniques. If anything, I'll just stick to some normal Aura stuff. Okay?"

Ash smiled queerly, finding her renewed energy to be relieving yet peculiar due to her honestly-meant threats. _At least she's… feeling better?_ "O-Okay…"

"And hey, I don't want you dating 'Lene as Sato. That's weird."

"Er… Okay."

"And I know that you know that if you date her while we're Ramie, you're technically dating me too. So if you're just using her to get to me, I'm okay with that." May winked playfully.

"**WH-WHAT?**"

May giggled. She helped him rebalance from his panicked stumble. "_I really do envy Maylene…_ You're so cute. Let me know when you're on the market again."

Ash laughed nervously. "Y-You're not normally this… _forward_ with me." he voiced his curious concern.

_I guess… I kind of always saw you as unattainable…_ she answered him Empathically, _In my mind, you were either going to end up with one of the Mayas… or Sabrina. Neither of those choices seemed like something we could work our way up to, no matter how hard we tried. But after seeing you get with Maylene? You're a lot easier to get than I thought._

He blinked and raised his brow. _…Is that an insult towards Maylene or me?_

May opened the door and escorted Ash from the small room. _Neither. It just makes you seem approachable, I think._ Leaning close, May quickly pecked the blind Empathic's cheek and hopped a step away. _I guess I feel a lot more comfortable around you now._

Ash's face turned red. He wiped his cheek frantically. _Wh-What was that for?_

Her cheeks blushed pink as she smiled impishly._ I – I don't know! I just felt like doing that!_ She giggled again and skipped away. _I'll see you around, Ash!_

…

Ash sighed loudly. "And why is there always someone eavesdropping in this team!?"

Dawn popped out of a nearby crate, bowed in apology, and scurried away from the scene.

* * *

Ash searched the crowd for his beacon in the darkness. There were several lights, each of different colors, shades, and patterns, but only one light was readied to guide him at any and all times. Finding it shining brighter than the rest with its familiar glow, he followed its draw and stopped a safe distance away. _What did I miss?_

The figure of light turned his way and pulled him gently by the wrist until he stood directly next to it. _Nothing much._ it responded to him with the tone that it made just for him. _They've mostly been getting any security measure information out of the way. And they recently started readying a solid plan to meet with Beta._

_Has she been giving any trouble?_

_Duplica? No way. She's been spilling everything non-stop since Anabel threatened her. She may be a good spy, but I don't think she's ever trained herself on what to do if she was caught._

_And who's in charge?_ his questions for the light were short, simple, and often generic. He always intended for his questions to be vague. The ever-familiar light had a unique form of information and detail management – one that he often butted heads with if he asked questions that were too specific or directed. From trials and failures in communication, Ash eventually realized that it would only benefit him if he let the figure speak in its own way, allowing it to answer questions in whatever way or order it wanted to. And he was correct in that realization.

_Gary's out. _the light answered immediately, understanding the intentions behind the question,_ He's only doing support roles now. BiBi's been staying awfully quiet, but she seems to be paying close attention. Solana and Maylene have been the ones talking mostly. Oh, and Dawn disappeared a while ago._

_Yeah, I ran into her. Eavesdropping._

_Of course she was. And how was your talk with little Miss Aura Guardian?_

…_I can never hide anything from you, can I?_

Misty smirked. _Why would you ever want to? Though I suppose you did get away with that little Maylene bit. You jerk._

_I didn't think it was that big of a deal._

_In that case, Gary asked me out earlier. I think I'm going to take his offer._

_**What!**_

She bumped her shoulder against his teasingly. _Oh, so it wasn't a big deal, huh?_

…_You were kidding?_

_I dunno. Maybe. He has a charm to him._

Ash sighed and pouted. _Fine. Date him. I don't think he's any good for you, but whatever._

_Oh? So you know what's good for me?_

_I just don't think he can understand you._

_Relationships usually change that._

_Gary's the type to make someone change for him rather than try to understand them. He may be nicer now, but that part of him hasn't changed one bit. Even if he were to try, he wouldn't get far with it until he tries to change the person again._

_Sounds like you've got some experience with him._ She giggled.

_It's just who he is. And nothing's wrong with that. It's just… you're fine without him trying to change you. Gary's better for those who need discipline and leadership._

_He doesn't sound like my type._

_Definitely not._

_I wonder what my type would be._

_I think it's someone who listens to you and depends on you. But also someone who takes the lead when they need to. Not like a co-pilot, but like a partner. Someone to push and pull with so that you keep each other from straying too far from what makes the both of you happy and satisfied._

_Ah… I see._ Misty leaned over and whispered, _"Too bad you're taken then, huh?"_

"I –!" Ash pretended to cough to disguise his startled outburst. Gathering his wits, he responded back to her in irritation, _I wasn't describing me!_

_Oh? So you don't depend on me?_

…

Ash grumbled random complaints under his breath. _I'm just treating you like you deserve to be treated…_

_And I'm just teasing you because you need it._

He sighed. _So you were joking._

_Darn right I was. For a trained Empathic, you're pretty dense at catching jokes._

_Hey, I'm getting good with my Empathy. You're just a master at sarcasm._

_I'll take that as a compliment._ Misty inched closer towards him and bumped him slightly with her arm. _And thanks._

_For what? Calling you a born liar?_

_No. Keeping me from straying too far._

Ash's cheeks flushed pink. _Y-You're welcome._

_Don't get like that. You're taken now, remember?_

_How can I forget if that's all I ever hear from anyone now?_

_It'll die down once everyone gets used to the fact…_

_Uh-huh. Just wish they'd get used to it sooner._

… _They would've taken to the news sooner if you chose someone other than Maylene._

_Seriously? You're going to bring that up too?_

_I should be asking if you're the one being serious. I mean… Really? Maylene?_

Ash slammed his head into his palms in despair.

* * *

"That's a ridiculous idea. You know how the people here react to pokémon. They won't like the idea of them battling openly in their base."

"So you would rather that they get nervous about us battling them in private? And what if our pokémon are injured? Without the Resistance's support, we won't get any access to anything that can heal their wounds! _Not easily, anyways._"

"I would rather that they not battle at all."

"Seriously? Maybe you should try taking care of them, Gary!" Angie spat loudly. It was the first time she had ever argued against the former Pokémon Researcher in her entire time knowing him, yet she felt no care to stay formal and respectful. In a strange sense, her back and forth argument against him had felt liberating. After weeks of awkward special treatments from him, this had been his first showing of any aversion towards her. The tomboy gladly took this chance to show him that she felt no sense of preference for him either. "Your little umbreon nearly destroyed all our backpacks from frustration! And don't even get me started on Blastoise! Flooded the entire room! BiBi says they're going stir crazy, Tracey says they're going stir crazy, Dawn probably can tell you that they go stir crazy, and I know for darn sure they're stir crazy!"

"_What does she mean 'stir crazy'?"_ the blond-haired Bianca whispered curiously to her brown-haired counterpart, _"Does it have to do with stirring? Like with soda?"_

The Bianca from Alto Mare shook her head. "No… 'stir' is an old, casual term for 'prison'. 'Stir crazy' was referred to prisoners who would show signs of mental instability from being incarcerated for too long. In essence, she's saying that the pokémon are becoming extremely bored and are showing negative behaviors because of it." she responded with the tone normally carried by Leanne, "…and you shouldn't stir your soda. It removes the carbonation."

"…_what's carbensation?"_

"…the bubbles in your soda. The one that gives it that nice flavor that isn't too syrupy."

"_Ah, okay… You're so smart, BiBi."_

The Alto Mare Bianca sighed, unsure if it was a compliment to be called 'smart' by the blonde. While she admitted that the Unova native had a surprising knack for memorization and quick learning, her lack of experience in the world had made her naïve and unknowing of the most common of knowledge. _Like 'carbensation'…_

Before her mind could be drowned in thousands of other examples that the blonde had been guilty of, Bianca moved her attention back to the emergency meeting and her immediate surroundings…

Angie and Gary were continuing their eternally looped argument of the pokémon's habits and habitats, with Angie demanding for openly-held Pokémon Battles within the Resistance base, and Gary standing firm in his decision to keep them safely hidden within Room E-7 until they were needed – as to not cause any problems between their pokémon and the Resistance soldiers. In Bianca's eyes, Gary's argument was too simplified, too stubborn for even his standards, _most likely caused by his sudden reunion with the Beta Spy Duplica_. And Angie's argument was a strangely valid one, far more clearly thought for the tomboy than her usual, _most likely caused by her distracting her thoughts in order to ignore Ash's new relationship_. In truth, _Angie would have been obviously correct in their dispute_, however her rude treatment of Gary gave her less credit… allowing the former Pokémon Researcher to easily find flaws in her argument.

In such conditions, the topic would continue to loop until either Gary found any real reasoning in his own argument or until _Angie would stop using the heated exchange as an excuse to show that she never had any feelings towards Gary_.

It was a foolish discussion, and Bianca had no real interest in it.

To her right, Solana was doing her best to look interested in the discussion, while hiding the clandestine tickle fight she held with Ritchie.

It made Bianca sick to her stomach, though she knew fully well that she was only experiencing jealousy.

To her left was her true sign of jealousy… Maylene was whispering something to Ash. _Most likely a joke…_ The two had been holding back laughs throughout the entire meeting. The sight of it made her wish to mimic Angie in her attempt to push her thoughts intensely to another subject.

But a figure in the room had prevented her from doing so: Tracey.

The male Sketch-Artist had been staring in her direction since Ash had returned from his private conference with May. From his concern of her innermost conflicts and worries, Tracey looked after the Alto Mare native's actions and expressions. If at any point she seemed to give her attention to something else other than Ash for too long, Tracey would believe that she was forcing herself into denial and he would attempt to console her.

Bianca, however, had no wish to talk to him – and so she gave into his _obvious desire_. He wanted her to resolve her emotions towards Ash's new relationship and make a decision from it.

…She _didn't want to_. She wanted to be like the other females in the room who held their own sense of denial or created their own coping mechanisms to the news. It was obvious from their expressions that none of them took 'Ashlene', a term for 'Ash and Maylene' that Solana had recently coined, seriously.

At one point she herself didn't take the new coupledom seriously… but she could not deny the growing realization that Ash would have no reason to leave Maylene, and that Maylene would have no reason to drop their relationship. In normal relationships, Bianca knew that new couples would rarely last long if there was an obvious or hidden difference in ethics, desires, or goals. _But this was no normal relationship…_

_Ash is too adaptable. He does his best to support and understand whoever he ends up with. And Maylene?_ She studied the pink-haired and pink-eyed fighter sternly. _She's… fine. Her past and how she holds herself only shows that she's an independent woman. An independent woman who follows as much as she leads, depending on what's asked of her. She has no need to be in a relationship, but at the same time she loses nothing from having one. And with nothing to lose, she has little to gain. And with little to gain, she has little reason to take advantage of it for her own purposes._ Bianca sighed again. _And with no drive to be in one, she won't find conflict with Ash whatsoever… the two will only obtain each other's positives and negatives without the struggle normally involved in it with other couples._

No matter how she perceived the two, Bianca knew that they would never break up. It was an undeniable truth… _Ashlene are here to stay. Nothing will encourage the two to break up. Nothing less than one of them cheating on the other would do it. And no one here is selfish enough to try to take Ash away from Maylene as long as they're happy together…_

…

Her eyes sparked. "Excuse me, everyone."

Conversations and arguments came to a sudden halt as all within the room turned towards the brown-haired Bianca. The female Sketch-Artist had barely raised her voice to gain their attention, but her authority as their main manager and advisor had silenced them the instant her familiar tone rang in the air.

"Thank you… As you know, we've had this emergency meeting for a good number of hours. And it's now passed our curfew."

"Need us to go to sleep, mom?" Angie teased. A few chuckles followed.

"That would be recommended." Bianca responded with little reaction to the mock, "However, I would like to bring up something that is far more recommended: Our schedule with Thinker duty. We've skipped our afternoon and night shifts."

Misty slapped her palm to her forehead and shook her head. "I'm sorry! That's my fault! I should have –"

"No interruption, thank you."

The Cerulean Gym Leader rolled her eyes. _Typical BiBi…_

"Ash, Maylene? You two are up for the late night shift."

"**WHAT?!**" the room roared in protest.

"They were already running the morning shift!" Misty yelled, "Besides! It should be me and Bianca up for duty since we missed our night shift!"

"I said no interruptions." The brown-haired Bianca shrugged her shoulders in disappointment. "Misty, you and your group had added extra hours into your Patrol duty. You need rest."

"Then what about Bianca?"

"Bianca was in the Storm Room. She's considerably tired from that experience."

"No she ain't!" Todd shouted, "The Instructor went easy on her!"

"It's true. He was totally hitting on her the entire time." Duplica commented, earning a few strange stares. "…What? He was!"

Gary nodded. "He certainly was."

The blond-haired Bianca's face was a bright red. "N-No! The In-Instructor was just – was just teaching me the basics because I didn't know what we were doing!" She covered her cheeks and pulled her hat over her face.

"Bianca's quite popular with the men of the HBR." Duplica added in, "Give them a month and they'll start a fan club for her."

"AHEM!" The Alto Mare Bianca slammed her foot against the ground. It was rare for her to show a temper, and that fact alone silenced the room once again. "…As I was about to explain: Ash and Maylene fell asleep during their Thinker duty. Making the two of them the most rested out of all of us. And before anyone asks: Angie and Tracey didn't get any sleep during their Monitor duty, so they don't count."

"_You two slept on Thinker duty?_" Angie growled. She massaged her head in irritation. "…Wait." She shot a look at the brown-haired Bianca. "How do you know they went to sleep?"

Latias floated down to Bianca's side.

"…of course you had her spying on everyone again." the tomboy sighed. "_Wait a minute._ Wasn't she supposed to be with you in A-4?"

"Weren't you supposed to be keeping an eye on the pokémon in this room?" Bianca defended.

"I did."

"Then why was your kricketot found in Corridor B?"

"What?!"

Bianca tilted her head, pointing their attention to the sleeping Cricket Pokémon in the corner of the room. "Latias already got her back for you."

Angie scratched at the back of her head. "Ah… Thanks. _Sorry._" She bowed quickly in apology. As she straightened her back, she shot a glare at Ash and Maylene. "So you two get to sleep just because you're dating?"

"I couldn't help it!" Maylene laughed nervously. "His shoulder's _so_ comfy."

Her casual confession caused a spike of tension to fill the room.

"_Er… And we were really tired. We didn't get much sleep the night before._" she finished awkwardly.

"And who's to say that they're going to get any sleep at all after their shift is over?" Angie growled. "For all we know, Ash is going to start cutting on his sleep again. And is it really smart to pair his… _'girlfriend'_… with him for this? She's probably going to be all lenient on him about his sleep."

"Not only that," Misty entered the discussion, "but we have to remember what Thinker duty is all about. It's to get in contact with the Quinns. I, for one, don't think it's that smart to let Maylene be the main one escorting Ash with the Quinns around."

"_Excuse me?_ I'm the best one there is for the job!" Maylene roared back. She took the Cerulean Gym Leader's remark as an offense to her usefulness in the team. "None of you have any defenses against Quinn's or Sabrina's psychic abilities. I'm the only one here with that." She grew in frustration as she realized that she had unintentionally praised herself. Bragging was not a behavior she was particularly fond of.

"I wasn't talking about stopping Quinn." Misty glared. Her tone was cool and calculated; keeping a distance from the fighter's hurt pride. "I was talking about stopping _Ash_. If Ash gives a good enough excuse to go running off with Quinn for a while, you're the one who would agree with it first."

"I –!" Maylene paused, scratching her chin. "Actually, she's right." she admitted with a laugh.

"See? You can't send those two out again! _Especially_ for late night duty!" Angie sneered, "Who knows what they'd get away with while we're asleep."

"You don't need to be asleep for –" _'us to get away with anything'_ were going to be her next words, but Ash had clamped his hand over Maylene's mouth before she could finish her sentence.

"What? What was she going to say?" Angie's eyes narrowed.

"Enough!" Bianca raised her voice. Silence filled the room once again. "…Ash and Maylene need to make up for their mistake. _And_ they are the most awake of any of us. This is the late night duty we're discussing over – the most dangerous time to be out. We need the most aware of us out there. And as they are, and as they _need_ to be out there: They're being scheduled for late night duty. No debates or discussions about it."

Groans and complaints hummed in the air.

"_But!_" she added, "But since all of you want your arguments to be solved right here, right now, I'm also going to be putting up Bianca for Thinker duty with them. A third party who apparently didn't do her Storm Room job correctly, from what you all say. So the _three_ of them will be placed for Thinker duty! Are there any complaints against that?"

Angie raised her hand.

…

"_What._ What is it _now_, Angie." Bianca stated in boiling irritation.

"Make Sato be put up for duty!" she responded.

A few agreeing statements echoed back and forth.

"Fine. Sato. _If you please._"

"I'm up. I'm up." Sato answered with a yawn. Awake, and pushing Ash to the background, his body was noticeably taller – slightly taller than Maylene's. "Thinker duty. On it."

"Great… I'm stuck with _oldie_." Maylene sighed disappointingly.

Duplica walked around Sato with amazement. _"Whoah… That's so… crazy."_ she whispered to herself as she continued gawking at his physical change.

"Any other requests!" Bianca waited with a frown.

No one responded.

"You three, get started on Thinker duty. Be back by the early morning shift."

Sato nodded and headed for the door. Maylene trudged behind him. The blond-haired Bianca followed with a panicked run, stopping several times to pick up items she accidentally dropped from her purse. Before she could leave completely, her brown-haired counterpart slipped a piece of paper into her palms. Consistently trained not to react to the hidden action, the blond-haired Bianca continued on her way without flinching.

"Now, let's resolve the matter of our pokémon…" The Alto Mare Bianca carried forward the emergency meeting, hoping to reach a conclusion before the morning.

* * *

'_Let them.'_ is all the note read.

"That's all it says. _'Let them'_." the blond-haired Bianca repeated as she held it up to a flickering lamp post. "What do you think it means?"

"If she hid it from everyone but you, don't you think that you shouldn't be asking us? Or even tell us about it?" Maylene snickered at the innocent trust the blonde held.

"I know I shouldn't, but…" She turned and looked at the two with concern. "I think she's trying to break you up as a couple."

"Wow, even _more_ of a reason why you shouldn't be telling us!" Maylene laughed. "Aren't you supposed to be on BiBi's side?"

"I – I am, but…" She stared at Sato with a frown. "What do you think I should do, Sato? I love BiBi and care for her, but I don't want her to break us up as a family either!"

"_Ohhhh_, so you're on Sato's side." Maylene smirked and nudged the Aura Guardian.

Sato stretched and yawned before setting his eyes on the blonde. He gave her a reassuring smile. "You know the answer to that."

Bianca nodded quickly. "_'Listen to my heart's desires and my mind's guidance.'_ I know. But… I don't know what I really want, and I don't even know what to think right now! Everything's telling me to stop her, but… I don't want to hurt her feelings."

"Then you know what to do, you just don't know how to approach it."

"Exactly! That's why I showed you the note! What do you think it means? I know it's a plan to push the two of you apart, but I don't even know how she's planning on that."

Maylene raised her brow and eyed the two curiously. "…Weird question: You two know each other?"

Sato and Bianca returned her look with the same expressions. "_Um…_ yes?" Bianca answered oddly.

"I know you two know each other. But I didn't know you two _knew-knew_ each other." the fighter did her best to explain, "I never see you two talk to each other outside of Leanne."

"We talk all the time. Sato's my teacher!" she responded cheerily with a hop next to the Aura Guardian. "I guess we just never talk in front of everyone."

"…Teacher?" Maylene held back a chuckle. "Teach _what_, exactly?"

"Philosophy and self-defense!" Bianca posed dramatically.

"Hold up. Self-defense? Green-eyes knows how to fight?"

"W-Well… _Not really…_ I'm not very good at fighting. Yet…"

"And she's not very good with philosophy either." Sato smiled as he patted her on the head. "But she's trying."

Maylene let out her chuckle. "Ah, I see. I was gonna' say…"

"Going to say what?" Bianca asked innocently.

"Er… I was just going to say that you don't look like much of a fighter. Or philosopher."

Bianca gave a childish frown. "_I'm no good at any of those things…_"

"You're trying though." Sato patted her head again. He turned towards Maylene. "I became her teacher shortly after our mission near Celestic Town. Lily here was having trouble adjusting to things, so I decided to help her out. Taught her a few tricks to handle missions and decision-making."

"…Lily?" Maylene giggled. "Cute name."

"It's from 'Lil Le'," Bianca explained as she found a comfortable spot on a brick fence. "Which is short for 'Little Leanne', which is what Sato first started calling me."

"Little Leanne? Now that's just vomit-inducingly adorable."

Bianca blushed. "A-Apparently Sato thought I acted more like Leanne than BiBi or Latias."

"No, I said you reminded me more of Leanne when I first met her." Sato clarified, "When Leanne started out in our old team, she didn't have any particular skills or abilities. The others would always refer to her as 'the civilian' because of that. All Leanne had was her passion for researching and studying Pokémon, and nothing more."

"BiBi acts more like what Leanne became." Bianca added. "_And I'm just the blank slate she started as…_"

Sato pulled off Bianca's cap and ruffled her hair. "Don't be like that. Leanne had a lot of potential. And so do you!"

"I know, I know…" She blushed and pushed him away playfully. "I just can't see it though."

Maylene chuckled at their demeanors. "You two are adorable. Ever thought of hooking up?"

Bianca's face burned red. She immediately grabbed her hat back from Sato and buried her face in it. "**WH-WHAT?** WHAT ARE YOU SAYING, MAYLENE?"

Sato, however, simply shrugged. "I thought I was taken already."

"_Ewww!_" Maylene kicked at his leg with a look of disgust. "I'm not dating _you_! I'm dating Ash, you oldie!"

"Geez. I get it, I'm old. Stop calling me that already."

"I'll stop calling you that if you stop thinking that I'm dating you, old man."

"I'm just speaking for Ash." he responded with a shrug. "We share the same body, you know."

"Barely. You're scrawny as heck. Even compared to Ash."

"_Th-That's because Sato trains to strengthen his muscles rather than grow them!_" Bianca defended from underneath her hat. "_He's very strong!_"

"Defending your master, green-eyes?"

"M-Master?! H-He's my teacher!" Bianca slowly crawled over the fence and hid herself from view. "_I-I'm just stating facts!_"

"'Lene, quit teasing Lily." Sato commented as he looked over the fence in amusement.

"_Yeah, yeah…_" she sighed. Rapping her knuckles on her head, she changed the topic, "We're moving further away from what we were talking about! Anyways! So, what's your idea to help Lil' Leanne here?"

"Hm?"

"The note. The note that just says _'Let them.'_? What's your advice for green-eyes?"

Sato blinked before responding, "Oh! Right! Almost forgot about that. Well, what do you think Lily? Which route do you want to take?"

"_I don't even know what it means._" Bianca spoke after peeking over the fence. "How am I supposed to make a decision if I don't even know what it means?"

"BiBi wants Maylene and Ash to go on a date again."

The fighter sat up straight in attention. "Whoah whoah whoah! Where did you get that idea?"

Sato shrugged, as if the answer was obvious. "If BiBi pushed the two of us to go out again, no matter what the excuse, then she has a reason for the two of us to be out here. And if she sent Lily to watch over us, then she wants as little interruption between the two of us as possible. She could have easily sent anyone else out with us. But Lily here would be the least effective at preventing us from doing anything, _no offense_."

"None taken." Bianca chimed.

Maylene scratched at her cheek, attempting to figure out the logic behind the Aura Guardian's words. "…So she wants us to make out or something?"

"Wh-What?!" Ash's consciousness flared in an instant, pushing his body back to its original height and causing him to fall over. As he pushed himself back to his feet, Sato returned to full control. "_N-No._ She wants us to date so that when Quinn comes, Quinn attempts to break us up."

"Seriously? That's her brilliant plan? That's a pretty poorly-thought one for her."

"_Ohhhh!_ I get it!" Bianca pulled herself over the fence and sat comfortably between the two. "Dominique!"

"_D… Dominique?_" Memories of the fight held just the night before flashed into her mind. Maylene's eyes sharpened. "What **about** Dom?"

"Don't you know? Dominique's stance on Sato or Ash having a relationship with anyone?"

"NO. WHAT _IS_ HER STANCE?"

"_W-Well you see…_" Bianca glanced at Sato, who was shaking his head frantically. "Um. Nevermind!"

The fighter cracked her knuckles, causing the blonde to flinch in terror. She approached Sato and pulled him up by the collar. "Tell me, _Mr. Sato_. What IS Domino's stance on Ash's relationships?"

"_Th-The thing is… Um…_" Sato shrank in size as his eyes faded to a blank stare. "Oh you've gotta' be kidding me." Ash grumbled.

"Hey. There. Boyfriend." Maylene added venom to each of her words, "You'll tell me about Domino's little stance, right?"

The blind Empathic sighed and raised his hands in defeat. "Dominique doesn't want me dating anyone. _Or marrying anyone._ Or anything like that."

"Is that all? Is that absolutely it? Or does she actually have a certain… _'reason'_ behind this?" she growled as she tightened her grip.

"_Well um…_ She… thinks that I shouldn't because of how I treat my current relationships. She thinks it's best if I were to stay uncommitted. For the team's sake."

"Oh. Is that all?" Maylene loosened her grip and let Ash's feet touch the floor. "For a minute there I thought she was claiming you or something."

Bianca tilted her head in bewilderment. "I thought she did? Didn't she say that no one's allowed to touch you but her?"

"**SHE WHAT?!**" Maylene slammed her fist into Ash's face and threw him against the lamp post. "WHAT DID YOU TWO TALK ABOUT?! WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN?!"

Before he could answer, the fighter struck at the post with her knee. "_**Th-That Domino!**_ She's always trying to take away what's mine!"

"Technically, we weren't together when she said that." Ash corrected nervously, "And she intended it for anyone, not… just… _you…_" His voice squeaked into silence as Maylene's furious pink eyes locked with his.

"_Ash, dear._ You're my boyfriend now. And I _really_ like that. In fact, I want to keep it that way." her tone was calm, soothing… and hiding an explosive fury, "If Domino has a problem with you getting into a relationship, then she has a problem with me and you together. And if she's got a problem with that, then she's got a problem with me. And if she's got a problem with me, then she's got _nothing but problems_ coming to her."

Ash laughed weakly, doing his best to lighten the terrifying air.

"_Well if it helps…_" Bianca hesitantly added, "That might not have been BiBi's plan. I'm pretty sure there's no way she can send the both of you out for multiple Thinker shifts in a row. And as far as I know, she has no idea when the Quinns are going to arrive here. So maybe she wasn't planning for Dominique. Maybe she was planning for something else?"

"No, she knows for a fact the Quinns are supposed to arrive soon." the blind Empathic confessed. He knew that the confession would cause further frustration for Maylene, but the realization that his failure to mention any previous facts had caused more trouble than intended now pushed him to be completely honest. "The HBR Patrols had spotted of a trio of Empire 'defectors' roaming the area recently. One of them matches Sabrina's description. Apparently they've been holding a position at the boundaries of Hearthome since last night."

"So they're here? Already?!" Maylene paced back and forth in panic. She came to a sudden stop and turned towards Ash. "_Waitaminute…_ So you've known that they've been here?"

"_Y-Yeah._"

"Even when we were having the morning shift date! You knew?"

He nodded slowly.

"…And you were ready for Dom finding out about us?"

"_O-Of course._"

Maylene folded her arms. "And what were you planning to tell her?"

"That I was taken." he answered confidently. "And that I agreed to it. And I won't let her get in-between us for any stupid reason."

Her eyes sparkled. "_Awww, Ash. I –_ Wait." Her eyes quickly dimmed at the full realization of his statement. "_Stupid_ reason? Meaning you'd still let her get in-between us for other reasons?"

"Well, she is your friend. And if I was being a terrible boyfriend, I'd want her to step in. I wouldn't ever want to mistreat you…"

"_**AWWWW!**_" Maylene jabbed him roughly against the stomach, causing him to fall to his knees in agony. "**ASH!** You make me want to strangle you for how sweet you are! Where'd you learn such cheesy lines!"

Bianca crouched over the incapacitated young man in honest concern. "A-Are you okay, Ash?"

"_F-Fffine._" he wheezed, "_This… This is just how 'Lene shows that she's happy._"

"Are you sure?" Her hand pressed carefully against his stomach, feeling the area his hands were twitching to cover. "The skin here's really tender. And here… _goodness, Ash, this bruise is huge!_ You're in terrible condition!"

"_N-No, I'm fine really._ And that's not one bruise. That's actually multiple."

"What?"

Maylene leaned down and eyed her boyfriend in interest. "_Oooh._ Did I hit you in the same spot again?"

"_Y-Yeah._" he answered back with a tried smile.

"_Eheh_, sorry about that. Here, let me make it up to you." She approached him aggressively, only to be stopped by the blonde. "Huh?"

"**No!**" Bianca raised her voice as she stood in the fighter's path. "Stop hurting him! He's injured enough!"

Maylene chuckled. "Oh, relax, green-eyes." She shoved her aside with ease. "I'm not going to hurt him. _…Unless he wants this to hurt._" Maylene pinned Ash to the ground and locked her lips against his.

"_O-Oh my!_" The Unova native's cheeks turned a bright pink as she turned away from the Maylene's enthusiastic show of affection. Feeling as if she had intruded into the wrong train of thought, she did her best to find something else to focus on. Her hands fumbled through her purse, searching for something, _anything_, to distract her.

A familiar texture brushed against her fingertips, enticing her to pull it out. _The paper…_ She carefully opened it and stared at the only two words written on its surface: _'Let them.'_

They were the only instructions her brown-haired counterpart left for her. A simple instruction that was meant to be deciphered only when the situation presented itself. What that situation was, was lost on Bianca. Ash was an unpredictable figure. Whatever situation was meant to come from the young man's actions, never came – or had come in an entirely different form. As such, the phrase _'Let them'_ no longer applied in the way it was originally designed for…

…_Unless it's implying that I just let them make out._

Bianca sighed. The plans that 'BiBi' had prepared for her were now moot. Like most plans she had ever made for the team, they had been forgotten and changed due to distractions and unexpected obstacles. It was a normal occurrence. It had become so common for them, that Bianca wondered how the Alto Mare native gained any rate of success with all her decisions.

_It's because she's determined, unyielding, and sure of herself!_ she answered herself with a nod. _Or at least that's what Sato told me._

She sighed again. _I'm no good at thinking for myself. Even now I'm depending on Sato's lessons just to understand BiBi… Even now I'm depending on BiBi's instructions just to do anything useful in this team._ Her hands crumpled the note and shoved it back into her purse. _Well, not this time! This time I can do this on my own! I'll make a decision! The right one!_

Spinning herself around, Bianca marched towards the preoccupied couple and pulled the dominant one away from their victim.

"Ow! Watch the hair, green-eyes!" Maylene barked as she was yanked away.

The blonde accusingly poked Ash on the forehead. "Turn back to Sato, right now mister!"

"H-Huh?" The male Empathic tilted his head curiously. He stared at the Unova native's swirling emotions battling over control. It was obvious to him that she was not fully sure of what she was doing.

"You heard me!" she answered his confused reaction with a convincingly confident tone, "If Dominique comes here and finds Maylene and you together as a couple, then she's going to start something! I don't know what. But I know that it'll turn out into something bigger than it should have been! Like everything else does in this team."

"_Tch!_ So what! Let 'er try something! I'll put her in her place!" Maylene growled in challenge, not towards the blonde, but towards the very idea of Dominique.

"**No!**" Bianca commanded with authority, "No more fighting! That's what keeps tearing us apart as a team! We need to stick together. Help each other. Understand one another. Instead of just running at each other as if we're getting in each other's ways, we need to be willing to sit down and talk it over! We're friends. _And…_ I like to think we're a family, too! So no fighting! Not between you and Dominique. Not between anyone anymore!"

"You seriously think that'll work?" Maylene held back a laugh. She found the blonde's attempt at being an authoritative figure to be an applaudable effort, but still adorable.

"It doesn't matter if I don't think it will. I'll make it work!" Bianca stomped her foot firmly and glared at Ash. "_Don't make me repeat myself, young man!_"

"Okay! Okay!" Ash waved his hands in apology and pushed Sato to the fore. "Better?"

"And how do I know you're really Sato?"

Sato gave a strange expression. "_Uh…_"

Maylene was chuckling loudly. "Oh come on, greeny! He can see you! That's gotta' be obvious!"

Bianca stomped her foot again. "I don't want Ash and Sato sharing the same mind. I just want Sato out. For all I know, they're probably both there!" She frowned at Sato. "…Do something that only Sato can do."

"Kinky."

"Quiet, Maylene! I'm serious!"

A wisp of blue air seeped from Sato's fingertips. "There. See? Aura."

"Even Ash can use Aura. Make it bigger."

"That's what she sa– OW!"

Bianca threw strands of pink hair to the ground. "I said be quiet. Go ahead, _'Sato'_. Prove it."

Sato frowned with concern. "That might not be a good idea. Hunters would be able to find us if I use a large amount out here."

"Then do it quickly. By the time they come searching Hearthome, we'll already be back in the base. And as long as you're not put back up for shift for the next few days, they shouldn't be able to find any of us, right?"

"Well yeah… But isn't this a little much just for proof?"

"_I…_ I just don't want anything bad to happen when the Quinns get here. _Please, teacher._ Just prove it really quick for me?"

…

Sato sighed. He stood and stretched his limbs. "Alright. Both of you step back."

"Oooh, big man's gonna' give us a show?" Maylene teased.

"Ash has been improving with his Aura lately…" He straightened himself and closed his eyes. "Because of that, I need to show something only a fully trained Aura Guardian can do."

"What? Wear a snazzy blue outfi–"

"_**HRAAA!**_" Maylene's mocking was cut short as Sato roared into action. A swirl of blue fire erupted from his shoulder and surged through his arm. He swung his arm low and forced his palm into the brick fence. The flames quickly seeped into his wrist and exploded through the fingertips. Within seconds, the block-long solid fence shattered and disintegrated into a shower of azure rain.

…

"And there you go. Let's see Ash do that." Sato grinned in pride.

Bianca shrugged and gave a knowing look towards the fighter. "_See? Sato's stronger than you give him credit for._"

With a cough, Maylene shook away her expression of shock. "Yeah, well that's just Aura…"

"Just admit that my teacher's the coolest guy ever." Bianca giggled as she clapped at Sato's show of Aura. She turned her head and stopped her applause. "Oh! _They're here!_ Uh! Sato, Maylene, act natural! Don't bring the relationship up unless I say so!"

"_You do realize that Quinn's a Psychic, right?_" Maylene grumbled as she turned to face the incoming trio. "_How are we supposed to keep it in the hush if…_" Her eyes widened. She immediately forced herself into a combat stance.

"Hey! I said no fighting!"

"Greeny. Shut it." She stiffened her stance and nodded to Sato. "Got any pokémon on you?"

"_I was afraid of this…_" Sato sighed. He had been in stance since he caught sight of the three. "Lily. Get the three poké balls out of your bag, leave them on the floor next to me, and hide yourself in the corner of that street over there."

"Y-You're fighting too? But teacher…"

"Lily, do as I say. Quickly. Those are not the Quinns."


	14. Hunters

The city of Hearthome had once been a warzone. Its tall skyscrapers and thick-walled tenements had been the bastions for thousands who had refused the Empire's influence upon the Sinnoh region. From the quickened hours of the day to the slow-creeping hours of the night, battles raged between the hardened citizens and their undeniable future occupiers. From the burning summer heats to the freezing winter colds, warfare had struggled on with neither side faltering in their efforts to refuse the other from their foolish intentions and selfish desires. But with supply and support lines severed, time would become the people of Hearthome's only true enemy. It would be a losing battle, and it was a predictable result since the war's inception.

The city of Hearthome had once been a warzone. For three years it had fought and bled to keep its sense of hope and freedom alive. For several years after it would lay dormant and hollow – a rusted husk of what it had once been and a rotting corpse of the ideals it had once held. It was now a ghost. A haunted land where Empire Agents no longer dared to tread, lest they wished to be dragged into its shadows. Those who held loyalty to the R-bannered flag would disappear within its environs, never to be heard from again. Escaped prisoners, fleeing criminals, and the too-curious travelers would wander into its grounds and never wander out. As if the souls of the defeated sought vengeance on those guilty enough to have continued living.

The city of Hearthome had once been a warzone. It was now a grave… where only the forgotten and the cursed could walk its forbidden streets and keep their heinous lives.

_It was only fitting that the last Aura Guardian of Sinnoh could be found here…_

Larcos, a soldier made Hunter on the day Hearthome City's first defenses had fallen, considered this fact to be an act of Fate. Hearthome City was where his life as a Hunter began, and it would be where the greatest Hunt in his life would be accomplished. His training and sanctification into the Hunter Program had made him void of almost all emotional senses and connections, yet a strange sensation tingled against his skin… He _felt… excitement_.

Before him, in the darkened distance, stood an Aura Guardian. _The_ Aura Guardian. The one who had been the greatest bane for the Empire in the Sinnoh region. Like the city of Hearthome, he was a ghost – a figure of great superstition and fear amongst those who could still feel such things. All attempts at capturing him had failed, and all who had ever cornered him had disappeared into the void. It was a fate that even Larcos acknowledged could be his.

"We have to be careful…" he voiced to the two behind him.

"_Are we sure this is the Aura Guardian?_" Lace, a Hunter who had gained her status only months before, whispered her concern, "_All reports state that the Aura Guardian works alone. Yet this one is accompanied by two females._"

"I wouldn't trust our reports on him." the man beside her commented. Dolan, a veteran Hunter known for his extreme distaste for Empathics. "No one's ever been able to catch him. There's no way he could have been working alone. Those two must be his accomplices."

"Whatever the case may be…" Larcos stepped forward and watched with deep interest as the blond woman near the Aura Guardian ran clumsily into the shadowed alleyway. "We've seen how powerful his Aura can be. We must stay focused on him if we are to succeed in capture."

Dolan nodded. "Do we distract the pink-haired one first? She seems to be the more aggressive one."

"_I'll handle her._" Lace whispered as she slowly cracked her knuckles. "_You two are better fit to handle the Guardian._"

"And what about the other one? The blonde?"

"Civilian, most likely." Larcos observed, "The Aura Guardian is protecting her. She will be useful in baiting him during interrogation. I'll capture her myself. No one harm her."

"And the pink-hair? Do we capture her?"

"No. She holds no powers of her own and the Aura Guardian does not seem concerned for her safety. Most likely a partner, but one better separated from him than brought in with him."

"And if she follows?"

"_I'll make sure she won't._" the female Hunter assured.

"Alright. Sounds like a plan." Dolan rolled his shoulders and stretched his back. "So when are we going to do this? No moon out tonight. If it gets any darker, those lamp lights are only going to help in their escape."

Larcos' eyes narrowed, its pupils widening, adjusting to the deepening darkness. "I am waiting for any signs of reinforcement or obvious plans for escape. Curiously enough, they don't seem interested in fleeing. And they seem more interested in challenging us than defending their time. The civilian must be their anchor."

"Heh. When are civilians ever beneficial? Though I suppose this one's beneficial to our cause."

"She may end up being our anchor if we're not careful…" The Lead Hunter leaned towards the man behind him. "Dolan, remind me to treat you to something when we return to the base."

"For what?"

"You were the one that sniffed Aura in this direction yesterday… _If it weren't for you, I would have never gotten this opportunity._" He crouched forward and prepared for assault. "On my mark. Remember to stay cautious. This will be our greatest Hunt yet."

* * *

The three Hunters charged forward, closing the distance at an inhuman rate. Their figures faded in and out of sight as the nearly pitch-black darkness and the city's flickering lamp lights battled to cover their movements. With every step they made into the light, they became easier to discern and far more unnerving in closeness.

"Crap, these guys are fast!" Maylene growled as she hopped in place. A nerve-wracking impatience and anxiousness bubbled and swirled in the pit of her stomach. The coming fight was one she was unsure to look forward to. "Strategy, oldie?"

Sato twitched at the nickname. "The female seems to be aiming for you. Looks like I'm handling the two males in the front. I wouldn't be surprised if all three of them came at me at once."

"Todd did say Aura Guardians were like celebrities around here."

"I'll sign autographs later. For now, take the poké ball. It's your machoke."

"Really? You brought Machoke into a fight against fast opponents?"

"Hey. I didn't expect to be facing Hunters today. Besides, it's better than nothing."

"What pokémon did you bring for yourself?"

"Sceptile! Buizel! I choose you!" Sato shouted as the enemies leapt towards them.

"Come on out, Machoke!" Maylene followed with her own command.

The three pokémon appeared in a flash of red, shouting and falling into battle stance.

As soon as the pokémon had appeared, the Hunters skidded to a halt and leapt away.

…

…

"_Did…_ Did we just scare them off?" Maylene held back her laugh in fear of being wrong.

* * *

"_They have pokémon!_" Lace hissed as she rolled onto a broken rooftop. "_I didn't know they had pokémon!_"

Dolan fell beside her. "No wonder no one's been able to capture him. Hey Larc, you think they're the same ones that were reported in Solaceon Town a while back?"

The Lead Hunter slowly climbed between the two. "No. Those aren't the same pokémon that were sighted. And none of them match the descriptions of the convicts found in that battle. It just confirms that was Beta in Solaceon."

"At least we know Beta isn't working with the Aura Guardian."

"We can't be sure about that. They may be waiting for reinforcements here. Whether it's the Resistance, Operation Beta, or an unknown group – I can't say for sure. What I am sure is that the longer we prolong this capture, the lower our chances will be of leaving this city…"

"Then we end this fast. What's the plan?"

"Lace. I need you to take out the sceptile. Dolan, the machoke. I'll handle the buizel. Keep a distance between you and the human targets until then. After, we revert back to our original plan."

"Larc, the Aura Guardian. We can't keep a distance with that one."

…

"Then Lace, you'll be handling both the buizel and sceptile on your own. Dolan will assist you once the machoke is incapacitated. I'll handle the Aura Guardian."

"You get all the fun…"

"Go." Larcos nodded and leapt back into the light.

* * *

"Incoming!" Maylene shouted, dodging a thrown dagger. "_Phew._ And here I thought they were going to cut us some slack!"

A large man landed in front of her. Dressed in urban camouflage and sporting a friendly smile, the Hunter could have easily been mistaken for a Resistance member. The only feature that betrayed his role and alliance was his unnerving eyes. A single glance into them sent a familiar chill down the fighter's back.

"You know it's illegal for citizens to carry pokémon without a license." the man spoke with a disconcertingly casual voice, "I'll need to confiscate your poké ball."

"_Ooooh_, problem with that." Maylene shook her head, doing her best to not look into his eyes. "I kind of need him."

"A shame."

"A shame it definitely is. Machoke! Seismic Toss!"

"MAAAA!" the Superpower Pokémon roared as it wrapped its arms around the opponent.

With a grunt, the Hunter flexed and struggled against the hold. Before he could be lifted off his feet, he pulled a hidden dagger from his sleeve and slashed it against the machoke's leg.

"Ch-_oke_!" Machoke flinched.

The hold faltered in strength, allowing the Hunter to escape with trained ease. Dolan equipped his other hand with another dagger and charged at the blue muscled pokémon. He was quickly repelled with a kick to the rib.

"Forget about someone?"

"No. Just underestimated for a second." Dolan returned the kick with a dagger throw aimed for the fighter's bare feet.

Maylene took several steps backwards and countered with a flying back kick. "Machoke! Cross Chop!" She shifted her weight and turned her intended strike into a hook kick.

Dolan's eyes widened as the two wide-arced attacks nullified his options for a dodge or defense. _I've definitely underestimated this fight… Lace and Larc must be having fun on their end._ He struck his arms out, intending to catch the attacks with his daggers.

An explosive **boom** of sound impacted the side of a building across the road. The structure shook menacingly, concerning the female that hid inside. "_This is a foolish fight. We should be calling in for reinforcements… Curse Larcos' pride!_"

"_Buizel! SonicBoom again! Sceptile, Bullet Seed!"_ the man outside shouted.

The building trembled once again as it was showered with another combination of projectile attacks. Rubble and debris fell from the ceiling, warning the Hunter to leave the premises. The lone occupant eyed the unharmed doorway across from her. _He's trying to scare me into leaving through that door… Some kind of trap is probably waiting for me. But I won't fall for it._

"LARCOS! YOU BETTER COVER ME!" she roared as she dashed towards the dust cloud formed by the pokémon's attacks. "RAAAAAAAAAAAHH!" Tackling through the smoke, her eyes adjusted to the light of the lamp posts and her breathing adjusted to the outside air. Finding her first target, she swung her arm up and fired a dart into the side of the sceptile's neck.

The Forest Pokémon winced. Poison quickly spread through its system, forcing it to its knees.

_One down._ Lace turned to find her next target. Her wrist twisted back and reloaded her arm-slung device with its next ammunition. She sprinted in circles, ensuring that she wouldn't be a standing target. Despite this preparation, anxiety began to break through the trained control of her emotions. _Where is it? Where is it? SHOOT! WHERE IS IT?_ The fierce darkness of the late night covered her view of everything beyond the lamp light's very edges. The darkness seemed to become ever more pitch-black with every second she could not find her next target.

Stories of the ghost city and the phantom Aura Guardian began to creep into her mind…

"SHOW YOURSELF!" she screamed as she backed towards the downed sceptile. Her arm-slung device was pressed against its back. "_Show yourself…_ or I'll test just how much venom your pokémon can handle."

…

Silence. With no answer, she readied to trigger the device with a pull of her ring finger. A sharp pain ran down her arm. "AAHH!" she squealed. Glaring in panic, she found her arm frozen. _No…_ A surge of water blasted her from behind, knocking her to the floor. "**LARCOS!**"

_You're only making yourself an easier target, Lace… Calm yourself._ Larcos thought to himself in attempted-irritation. He blocked a strike meant for his chest. The opponent's fist pressed hard against his forearms. With a twist, the fist opened and released a burst of blue energy. He yelped as the blast knocked him into the post behind him. Expecting the hit, he used the blast's force to his advantage. Spinning swiftly, his arm locked around the post and swung with the attack's momentum. An improvised pendulum kick was his answer to the Aura Guardian.

Sato left himself undefended, allowing the attack to get near its aimed mark. Exhaling, he deflected the strike with a plate of Aura focused at his chest. The man's foot was forced away, pulling the body with it.

Larcos fell to his side poorly and attempted to roll. His roll was cut short as an Aura-boosted palm slammed into his ribs. A guttural sound of pain came from his gaping mouth. He fought to keep his sense of consciousness as his body refused to go into shock.

The man's screams tempted Sato to relieve his attack and allow mercy. Within that temptation, other concerns outside of the personal fight flooded his thoughts… His pokémon were fighting a Hunter on their own and would soon need his support. Maylene and her pokémon were facing a Hunter as well and his assistance may have been needed. And Bianca had moved towards the basement of the building he stood in, without supervision…

_Lily…_ Yet it was 'Lily's safety that pushed him to continue his hardened assault on the Hunter. The plain-looking man in combat fatigues refused to break… _refused to give in_… And if given another second of no notice, he would threaten Bianca once again. In the three Hunters' second charge on them, the man had only appeared after Sato and Maylene had become occupied in their battles against his two accomplices.

The Unova native's quieted scream was Sato's only hint as to where the third Hunter had disappeared to.

The Hunter at Sato's feet had tried to harm Bianca within that assault. His purpose was obvious: To bait Sato away from the combat held in the open. Separated from the rest, the Hunter intended to take the Aura Guardian as his own prize… a plan that may have had a chance in succession if Sato hadn't pushed his own offensive to such extremes.

Sato reached down and grabbed the man by his shoulders. With a force of Aura, he covered his opponent in a glow of fiery navy. The action caused him to be fully aware of the man's 'being'. It was an unnerving feeling, as he was reminded why Hunters were such dangerous enemies: They felt _hollow. No soul, no heart, and no mind. _Hunters were like dolls, mockery of the actual living, and cursed to never truly live. In a certain perspective, they were the human versions of Dark Pokémon… holding the same essence of _'nothingness'_.

But it was only their surface that was such. On a far deeper level, Sato could 'smell' what spirit they had left. It was hidden within them, hidden from even themselves. As far as the Hunters knew, they could no longer be what it meant to be 'alive'… _But they are alive. And this one tried to hurt Lily…_

The situation he found himself in reminded Sato of the first days of his training as an Aura Guardian, where he was taught to love and care for all living creatures – as it was in the will to protect and guide them that would allow him to find his full potential with Aura… Yet within the 'all', it was the innocent that Sato treasured most. _The truly innocent would protect, guide, and nurture anyone without prejudice. Their unbiased and naïve view of the world around them would make them strive to only help others, even if those very others were the ones that hindered all else. There is no worth to be found in their control and corruption. There is no reason to abuse their kindness and trust. __**And there is no benefit in their harm and loss.**_

"HAAAAA!" Sato forced the Hunter into the wall, pressing him relentlessly under the weight of his Aura. "Listen to me, freak! You do not TOUCH Lily!" He added another wave of Aura into his attack. "You do not _THREATEN_ Lily!" With a roar he threw an Aura Sphere into the Hunter's stomach. "AND YOU WILL NEVER _**HURT**_ LILY!"

The Aura Sphere connected with the compacted energy surrounding Larcos. With a surge of blue flame, Sato's _will_ exploded – causing the cemented wall to shatter from its force. The Hunter cried out in agony as he was launched out of the building and into crumbled roads outside.

Pain continued to course through his system, begging him to faint to relieve the stresses on his body. But he refused to. A twisted smile curled onto his face. His eyes twitched, reacting to even the unbearable stings and pricks felt on his lips. Despite this, _or perhaps for this_, Larcos could only feel a curious sensation… _Elation, perhaps? Thrill… Happiness…_

He was broken and near death, yet he had never felt more alive. _To be bested by the strongest of preys… is the only defeat a Hunter could find satisfaction in._

The sound of footsteps approached his decimated body. _Yes… That's it. Finish me. Feed my soul to this cursed city and make my Hunt immortal…_

The sound of footsteps stopped and a whistle was heard. "Dang, Larc. That guy really did a number on you."

"_D-D… Dolan?_" he hissed harshly, "_Y-You're… alive?_"

"No thanks to your brilliant strategy. By the way, Lace is absolutely _ticked_ at you."

"_She's… alive as well?_"

"Alive and angry. Literally angry. Didn't know we could feel anger after our training. I guess you're just good at bringing out the worst in all of us." the Hunter laughed. The laugh was empty and lacked any genuine emotion.

"_Where… is she?_"

Dolan tilted his back to signify which direction the female Hunter was located in. "Still following your plan. Once I took out the machoke, I helped her with that stubborn buizel. Now she's handling that pink-headed woman to buy us time. Though with a frozen arm and no good darts left, I doubt she'll be able to hold off for long. That scrawny gal's fierce, I'll give her that. Heck, she ran me out of daggers just before I broke off from her." Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a broken knife. "Well, I have at least one left. _Not a good one_, but sharp is sharp."

"_Help… Help me up._"

He pocketed the broken knife and crouched down. With a pull, Dolan lifted the Lead Hunter to his feet. He patted dirt and debris from his uniform. "You good for this?"

"_I can at least… distract him._"

"Not to be cynical, but I doubt he'd worry about you at this poi–" A geyser of blue fire engulfed the Lead Hunter and threw him across the road. "Huh. You really _do_ bring out the worst in people."

"_**Leave now.**_" a voice stated with frightening authority. Walking slowly from the deep shadows of an abandoned apartment, Sato lit the night's darkness with a flare of blackened Aura surrounding his every movement. "_**Or else.**_"

Dolan complimented the scene with a whistle. "_A Dark Aura Guardian…_ Now you don't see that every day. Never knew there were any in Sinnoh. Then again, I didn't really believe the rumors that Dark Aura Guardians existed. Call me a believer now."

"_**I'll give you ten seconds…**_"

"My ex gave me at least twenty." He shrugged and gave a mocking smirk. "Can't you _CUT_ a guy some slack!" In one impossibly-swift movement, the Hunter slipped his hand into his pocket, spun downwards, and threw his last dagger towards the Aura Guardian. The spear of Dark Aura meant for his head was barely dodged by his downward spiral.

Sato frowned at his missed opportunity and sighed at the Hunter's futile attempt. With a flex of energy, the Dark Aura around his body swirled and knocked away the broken blade. "_**…You missed.**_"

"I suppose. But thanks for throwing it in the right direction."

Sato's eyes widened. With a quick turn, he spotted the knife continuing to cut through the air… heading straight for a blonde onlooker. "**LILY!**" His Aura quickly shifted to its original shade of blue. With an exerted fling of his arm, Sato threw a miniature Aura Sphere towards the projectile. Inches away from her shocked green eyes, the knife was absorbed and knocked away in a bulb of blue light.

…

Both Sato and Bianca gave an awkward laugh at the close call. The laugh was cut short by a loud **CLANG** that echoed against the building's walls. Sato's eyes rolled to the back of his head and a wisp of blue energy seeped from his lips. His body tumbled forward and crashed against the asphalt, rendered unconscious.

"Will you look at that?" Dolan laughed oddly. He swung a large pole across his back and laid it against his shoulders. "The guy's built like a piñata cannon! Dangerous as all hecks until you hit it with a big enough stick." He observed the pole he held and pointed at the red octagon at its end. "Maybe it's because of the 'STOP' printed on it? _STOPs_ all things from working, I guess."

"_Stop being a fool and… pick him up. We have to go._" Larcos wheezed as he limped towards them.

"And you, my friend, are built like a ragdoll. An invincible ragdoll." He reached down and carried Sato on his shoulders. "It's going to be terrible if you're immortal, you know that? Hospital bills are going to be expensive as heck for you."

"Drop him. **Right now.**" Bianca commanded. Her eyes were watering in fear and her legs were shaking from panic, yet her influence remained strong with Pignite by her side. "…Please."

"_How many pokémon do these people have?_" Dolan sighed. "_And you see that thing? That's not even native around these parts. They really might be affiliated with Beta._"

Larcos nodded weakly. "_Then we set both of them up for interrogation. Take out her pignite and capture her._"

"_Do you have to solve everything with 'take them out'? You must've been popular with the ladies when you were younger._"

"_Quiet, and follow orders._"

Dolan sighed again. "_Here, let me handle it…_ Hey, Blondie!"

Bianca flinched. "N-No! Don't talk to me! Just put him down!"

"Look, we don't have to fight, okay? You see your friend I'm carrying?"

"…Yes."

"He's an Aura Guardian. You know what the Empire does with Aura Guardians?"

Bianca stiffened and forced a fearsome glare. "**Pignite! Use –!**"

"**HEYHEYHEY! WHOAH!** _**WHOOOAAH!**_ Easy there!" the large man frantically waved his hands as if in misunderstanding. The action gave him extra time, as Bianca didn't complete her command. "All I'm saying is: There's a good chance we're going to win this fight. And if not this fight, then another fight in the future! We've got millions of soldiers in the Rocket Empire. We'll eventually win. _We always win._ So in the end: Your friend here is going to be captured, brought in, interrogated, then executed."

The blonde expressed even more agitation and was ready to shout her unfinished command.

"_**UNLESS!**_" Dolan quickly butted in before she could. "Unless… You let us take him in now. We'll talk with our leaders and get them to soften up to him. Then they'll just ask him the questions they've been wanting to ask him – no interrogation, just a comfy, laid-back asking session. Some guards may rough him up a little, but that's just 'cuz they're always angry like that – I'll make sure they don't go too far. And then? We let him go. Just release him. That sound okie dokie to you?"

…

Dolan smiled. The smile was heartless and emotionless… but Bianca took it as an attempted sign of friendliness.

"You… You sure?"

"_Yes!_ Yes, I'm sure! My bosses have just been wanting to ask him questions! That's all! We normally execute Aura Guardians because of how volatile they get. It's just our way of defending ourselves! So if your friend doesn't go volatile on us – we'll agree to let him go."

"…What's 'volatile'?"

"_Uh…_ Like 'crazy'. Like fight-back 'crazy'. Always causing problems for us."

"And… And how do I know you're telling the truth? How do I know you won't just change your mind when you get there?"

The Hunter frowned and scratched his chin. "_Hmm…_ That _is_ a good question. Ah! I know! You can come along with us! That way, you get to keep an eye on your friend, make sure he's alright, and once we're done, you two can go along your merry way. How's that sound?"

"I… uhm…"

"Just call off your pignite and we'll do it on both of our terms, okay? _Fair's fair._"

…

"Pignite. Return." A flash of red light called back the pokémon to its poké ball. Bianca sighed. She wasn't fully sure what she had gotten herself into, but she wanted to trust that she could make the right decisions. _Not everything has to be solved with fights._ "Okay, I'll –"

Her eyes blanked and her voice fell silent as she dropped the floor… unconscious.

"_Took you long enough, Dolan._" Larcos hissed as he put down a broken pipe he had found on the floor. Crouching down, he lifted the blonde onto his back with a struggling stand. "_I can see why you're single now. You're a terrible liar._"

The large Hunter shrugged. "Hey, she believed me. Must mean I've got a bit of silver in there somewhere."

"_Or this girl's more gullible than a togepi._" Larcos commented back. "_Hurry. We need to get out of here. We've wasted enough time._"

With a quick march, the two began to build their pace as they headed towards the nearest exit out of Hearthome City. Despite their victory, their superstitions and fears of the city still held them from celebration.

"**LACE! WE'VE GOT BOTH OF THEM! DITCH PINKY AND CATCH UP!**" Dolan shouted down the road behind him.

Hearing it as loudly as her opponent, Maylene quickly turned in the direction of the sound. Her eyes widened as she caught sight of an unconscious Bianca and Sato being carried poorly over the shoulders of Hunters. "NO!"

"_Took those two long enough._" Lace growled as she pulled a hidden dart from her hair. "I'm done dancing with you. Have fun being trapped and torn apart in this cursed city!" She swung the dart towards the fighter's neck.

Maylene blocked the strike and countered with a straight punch to the throat.

Lace choked from the blow, falling to her knees in shock. She grabbed at her neck with her only free arm and gagged loudly, attempting to force her windpipe to repair itself.

Maylene had no time to feel concern for her foe. She quickly ran after the two escaping Hunters.

The female Hunter's face turned red in fury. The unfairness of the moment had driven her to tears. _No… I don't want to be left here… No!_ Forcing herself to calm her attempts at breathing, Lace pulled her hand away from her neck and began to inhale and exhale slowly, hoping to survive on small breaths alone. With her left hand freed, she inserted her held and absolutely final dart into the alternate device strapped against her wrist. Locking the ammunition in place, she aimed at her fleeing opponent and pulled with her ring finger.

**THWP** – The device fired, launching the dart towards its intended target. A gust of wind flung the projectile low, forcing it to find its mark against one of the fighter's legs.

"A-AHH!" Maylene's right leg instantly went numb, causing her to limp. Her left leg numbed seconds after, forcing her onto her stomach. With each passing second, every limb, joint, and muscle began to stiffen and lose all sense of touch and feeling. "_What's…_" Her lips and jaw froze, locked in place by the venom spreading throughout her body. She could no longer speak and no longer move, with only the most basic of her organs continuing to function… enough to keep her alive and aware in an immobilized state…

A scraping sound was heard soon after… The female Hunter was dragging herself across the ground, slowly catching up with her comrades at a pathetic pace. As she passed the incapacitated fighter, she turned and gave a mocking grin, before continuing to drag herself forward…

The Hunter left her sight.

Uncountable time had passed, and the sounds of scraping no longer echoed.

…

…

Maylene was left alone. Paralyzed… within the city that was once a warzone. A pathetic husk of what she had once been. A victim of vengeance wrought by the defeated.

* * *

"_That Gary… Stealing her away…_ Can you believe that?" Todd grabbed the bottle in front of him and chugged it. He slammed it against the counter and wiped away the tears from his cheeks. "I thought we had something! _But…_"

Tracey sighed in pity. "You know…" He lowered his sketchbook, staring at the Photographer with slight humor. "It's not technically stealing if you two never officially called yourselves a couple."

"_We…_ We were just being casual about it!" he sobbed pathetically and motioned at the bartender for another bottle. "We didn't want to make a big deal out of it!"

"Hey man…" Tracey gently patted him on the back, doing his best to show support yet continue being the voice of reason. "She wasn't who she said she was. I mean, you fell in love with Tonya, not Duplica. Tonya's just an act. Not somebody real. You didn't technically lose anyone."

"_She was real to me!_ What we had was real! We could have been something! _But she just goes off the instant Gary looks her way… Leaving me alone again… Always alone._" Todd blew his nose against a small napkin. The bartender slid him his next bottle, which he gladly accepted with a chug.

"You'll find another, Todd. You always find another. Remember that girl we met at the port? _Er… What's-her-face?_"

"Ana! Her name was Ana! _But Ana had nothing on Tonya!_ Claurice had nothing on Tonya! Marle had nothing on Tonya. _Fionne… Priscilla… Dianna…_ None of them had a thing on Tonya! Tonya was special… like… _like…_" Todd swallowed, gripping onto the bottle tightly.

_Oh no._ Tracey sighed. He knew what was coming.

"_**CASEY!**_" Todd screamed in desperation and drowned his throat with more fluids. As the bottle ran dry, he dropped it to the side and wept terribly onto the counter. "_Casey was special! She was the only one who saw me for who I was! She didn't just fall for my stupid tricks! She'd make me work for just a glance! For just a smile! And she was worth it… Casey was worth it… Tonya was worth it… But Ash took away my Casey… And now Gary took away my Tonya! I'm doomed to stay alone, Tracey! Doomed to be surrounded by nothing but shallow and whiney women who don't even know who they're getting involved with! They don't know a thing about me! They don't even know my darkest fears or my greatest dreams…_ Do you know what my darkest fear is, Tracey?"

"N-No…"

"_**NO ONE BUT CASEY AND TONYA KNEW!**_" he roared. Todd crumpled into his arms and continued to sob.

Tracey silently called over the bartender. "_Hey… should you be serving this stuff to a minor?_" he whispered as he pointed at the weeping Photographer.

The bartender snorted. "That stuff ain't alcohol. The kid's been ordering cane soda."

Tracey raised his brow in question, gesturing to the bartender at Todd's odd condition. The bartender answered with a shrug and continued to serve the other customers.

With a sigh, the Sketch-Artist patted and massaged Todd's back. There was nothing more he could do for the curly-haired young man at this point. There was nothing more he could have done for the past three hours he had spent by his side, but Todd had depended on Tracey as the only one who would listen to his complaints and rants. And so he stayed.

The two had once seen the other as opposing figures, with opinions and viewpoints too different to ever find common ground in. In their eyes, the two held a dichotomy that would never allow any sort of friendship to form. But time held in the form of Farron had allowed the two of them to find a sense of understanding in each other. To Todd's benefit, he found a confidant. To Tracey's benefit, he had found cooperation and trust with a member who normally held an aggressive sense of self-reliance.

It had been a mutual relationship for the most part… but would often become one-sided whenever Todd was reminded of the baseball enthusiast Casey – a young woman he had strong interest in. A strong interest that had grown almost to an obsession the more she rejected his shows of affection and feats to impress her. And though the number of refusals increased since Ash's 'revival', the Photographer never faltered in attraction or self-confidence… until he was left alone with Tracey.

Tracey drank from his glass of iced tea. He slowly exhaled through his nose, realizing that _"TONYA WHY"_ would now be a common topic brought up in his conversations with Todd – creating a trifecta with the subjects _"CASEY WHY NOT"_ and _"PSH ASH"_. It was a bothersome fact, but he accepted the responsibility. _Todd never expresses this side of himself around anyone else. If he keeps it inside himself for too long, he very well could snap. Heh… 'snap'. Todd. Todd Snap. I made a funny._ He half-snickered at his 'funny'. His snicker dropped into a cough as a familiar face sat next to him.

"Tracey."

"B-Bianca." he acknowledged her with a nod. "What – _um…_ What are you doing here? I didn't think a pub would be your kind of place."

"It's not your environment either." She raised a finger to get the bartender's attention, pointing towards the iced tea. "Though I suppose you're not here for yourself."

Tracey shook his head and gestured towards the Photographer, who had wept himself to sleep.

"Crying about Tonya? Or babbling about Casey still?"

"B-Both…" he stuttered with an odd laugh. Her verbal jab at the Photographer was noticeably uncharacteristic for her, causing Tracey to show concern. "Is something wrong?"

The Alto Mare native almost seemed to ignore his question as she drank from her straw calmly. With a slow exhale from her nose, her shoulders and eyelids relaxed.

…

A handful of minutes had passed before she regarded him again. "Tracey."

"Yes?" he responded on cue, having been patient with her needed silence.

"Do you ever miss the old days?"

"_Hm?_ The old days?"

"Yes. The days when you were just a Pokémon Watcher. Or when you were just Professor Oak's assistant. Those days. Do you miss them?"

Tracey blinked in surprise. "I… _I haven't thought about that, actually._ I've honestly been so caught up with everything that's happened, that I practically forgot about those days…"

"Then, thinking about them now: Do you miss them?"

His thoughts wandered to the events of the past. Memories of old, almost ancient, days where concerns were often innocent and the stresses never involved threats to life… _When Ash was just a dreamer boy that would drag everyone into his excitable adventures… When Misty was just a stubborn girl that would seek to achieve her own goals and ambitions… And when I was just some guy that followed them everywhere to fill up my sketchpads… Those were the days._ "But they'll never be the same. So much has happened since then… So much crazy and messed-up things. We can never go back to them."

Bianca frowned, staring into the bottom of her emptied glass. "But would you ever want it to come back? Would you bring it back and see if you could be the person who you used to be?"

"That would be nice. I don't think that's quite possible, but it's something I'd definitely try." he answered with a reminiscing nod, "I know it would be difficult to work in the Professor's Lab again. After all this travelling and stress we've put ourselves through? I'm going to feel caged up in there. _Might even go insane in those settings._ Who knows how long it would take me to adjust to that kind of environment again."

"But that sense of peace… _that sense of innocence…_ It's worth it, right? Worth that try?"

Tracey smiled softly. He looked up to the bartender and held up two fingers, silently asking for a refill for the both of them. With an inhale, he looked towards Bianca and nodded. "Even though I think experience is supposed to change you and help you grow into someone you need to be; there's nothing wrong with striving to be who you want to be. And a lot of times, many of us forget that returning to our roots is a valid option. Having a clear conscious and an open perspective to the world and those around us are both traits that we should all want to get back after we've gone too far."

"…_Not to reset, but to start with a new approach._" she murmured as she accepted the new glass.

"Exactly. If we think about it that way? Yeah, I think I'd like to bring back those old days… _This new reality has its ups, but I'm not a fan of everyone's dreary and over-serious moods here._" he whispered the last part, hoping not to insult the kind bartender.

"And what if there are those who will do everything in their power to stop those old days from returning? People who would base their lives around the ideal that we should never try again? That we have to live on with the consequences made by the selfish and suffer for it?"

The male Sketch-Artist sighed. His eyes moved away from her and focused on his half-full glass. "_…Is this Ash's take?_"

"No. It's the Quinns'… _and the Resistance's._"

"…Should we be talking about it here?"

"No. But I'm tired of having private conversations. Especially when I know that people won't hold them private for too long."

"You can trust me. I won't tell a soul."

"Then we'll talk here. I want to have my drink for a little while longer." Bianca sucked on her straw until her glass was emptied again. She gestured for another refill.

Tracey leaned against the counter and slid slightly closer to the female Sketch-Artist.

"I'll try to keep it short." She thanked the bartender with a smile and returned her attention to Tracey. "I've been having problems with the Quinns for quite some time. Difference of ideals. So the time they've been away has been a real relief for me. It gave me enough space to work things towards my goals."

"Ahh, so that's why you've been stalling with our mission plans lately."

_That's not the reason at all._ "Yes. And as great as that hiatus from one another has been great, I found myself held back by another interesting problem: _The Resistance is against my idea too._" her voice lowered to a whisper.

Tracey lowered his volume with her, "_How do they even know about your idea?_"

"_They don't, technically. But the Resistance's plans on using us as bait against the Rocket Empire only spells out their intentions: They're fighting for Sinnoh, not the world. They just want to kick the Empire from their place of power and replace them – not return things to the way they were. If the latter had really been their purpose, then the Trio would have never attempted to hide their plans from us. Ash, Misty, and Gary had made them remember who they were and let them know how everything had changed… yet they're still fighting for the Resistance's goals._"

"…_That's not good for us._"

"_And to make it worse? The Quinns are going to be returning soon._"

Tracey's eyes widened. _Sabrina… _The thought of the Saffron City Gym Leader sent a terrifying chill down his spine. "_H-How do you know?_"

"_Some reports I found. It's why I sent Ash and Maylene out again. They'll stall her long enough before they make contact with the rest of us._"

"_S-So… What's your plan?_"

"_With Quinn back, I won't have complete freedom to go ahead with my plans. And with the Resistance soon becoming our enemy, I'm going to lose my time and safety to continue with perfecting them. All signs are pointing to the fact that I need to separate from this group soon… I'm not sure how soon, but I can't stall for too long either…_"

"_You're… leaving?_"

She nodded slowly. "_Alone, too._ I need Latias watching over Ash, and Bianca will only slow me down. But I do need protection… _Will you come with me, Tracey?_"

Tracey straightened his back. "_What? You're not going to ask Ash?_"

"No. Everyone needs Ash."

"_And everyone needs you…_"

Bianca shook her head. "With the Quinns back, they'll have all the tactical support they'll need. Whether or not I like it, Sabrina processes information faster than I do, and may even beat Leanne. Having me in there will only cause a fracture in the command line… _like it did before._"

Tracey sighed quietly, remembering how orders were often confused and altered with both Quinn and Leanne handling strategies. "_Yeah… Have you asked anyone else? Gary? Ritchie and Solana?_"

"If I were to take you, then the main group would be without a Farron. Without a Farron, the team is going to need Gary. And Ritchie and Solana will work best as the third-party group. We'll mostly be using them as our in-betweens when it comes to sharing information."

"_So… you're serious? You want me to go with you?_"

"Very serious. I can't go out there alone… Will you be my bodyguard?"

Tracey quickly closed his sketchbook and left his payment on the counter. "I'm ready to go when you are, Bianca."

She smiled sweetly. "_Thank you… _Could you pack some items for us in E-7? _If anyone catches me doing it, they might suspect something._"

The male Sketch-Artist nodded firmly and walked briskly out of the bar.

…

…

"I know you've been listening. And that mustache is a terrible disguise."

The bartender nearly dropped the money Tracey had left. With an awkward laugh, he scratched at his cheek and backed away.

"I know you're not in agreement with your partners." Bianca continued to speak to him without looking up, "So now's your chance to give me whatever information or resources that might help me… _or your wife's going to get what she wants._"

…

With a sigh, the bartender brushed aside his lavender hair and reached into his pockets. He slid a paper across the counter and whispered, "_A few people might be able to help you. Names. Addresses. Maps. Coded in this sheet. I know you're good with decoding our work, so I won't need to tell you how to. Just do whatever you're planning to do and leave quickly. Jessie knows that you know… And if you don't leave soon, it'll be too late._"

"_Thank you, James. I'll do my best…_ but can I ask you a question?"

"…_You don't need to._" He leaned against the counter, pretending to clean a wine glass. "_I'm doing this so that Jess and I can go back to the life we had before… I know we weren't married then. But we weren't married to this cause then either. If she gets her way and succeeds in taking down the Boss? I don't think the two of us will ever have time to be together again… We'll be retiring into our work… slowly forgetting the reasons why we ever fell in love with one another as we drown ourselves with more priorities and goals. But if everything goes back to the way things used to be? Even if we're just goons and losers again: We'll still be together, struggling together, living together. I'd rather live a poor life with her than live without her within success. Any day._"

Bianca's cheeks flushed pink as her smile grew. "_I know how that is. I don't want to be married to my job either. Thank you, James._"

"_You're welcome, little twerpette. Have fun on your adventure._" the lavender-haired Boss turned and returned to his disguised duties.

Bianca slid her payment onto the counter and left the bar, heavy in thought.

…

Todd swung his arm weakly in the air. "Bartender… another soda!"

* * *

"_Why Maylene? Why did he have to choose Maylene? I don't understand…_" Anabel moaned pathetically as she rolled her chin against her knees. She was curled against the corner, leaning her head on the Cerulean Gym Leader's back. "_What makes her special? She doesn't even fight for him…_"

"Honestly, I'm just as confused as you are, Anabel." Misty sighed. She tilted her head slightly, peeking between the crates she hid behind. "Do me a favor… There's Tracey. Lots of bags. What do you have on him?"

The lilac-eyed Empathic relaxed her sobbing and focused. Sending her senses outwards, she felt the Sketch-Artist's vibrating emotions. His essence was _fluctuating_ in size, attempting to stay _small_. The _scent_ surrounding him was the familiar sting of _fear_ and _anxiety_. His _colors_ swirled in _black_, obviously _hiding_ his intentions. She pushed her Empathy further, unlocking his poorly defended secrets. "He's gathering things for a private trip with BiBi. They're leaving. Quinn's coming soon. Whatever BiBi's planning will only get slowed down in this team if they stay."

"_So she found the reports about Quinn…_" Misty frowned. She looked down, ensuring that her pen was making legible short-notes on the small paper planted on the floor. "Though having her out of the way will be nice. She's been difficult to track."

Anabel continued to quietly whine, "_Why didn't BiBi do anything about Maylene? And why did she send out Ash and Maylene together again? Is she supporting them together?_"

"You would know better than me, Anne. Do me another favor? Dawn's finally in the room. She's moving quick. What's her story?"

The Empathic looked at Misty strangely. "That's not Dawn. That's Duplica."

"No, that's definitely Dawn…" Misty squinted her eyes, forcing her sight to sharpen. "_Or maybe it is Duplica._ She's a lot better with her disguises now, if that's the case."

"She did fool us all as Tonya."

"You're right. So what's Duplica doing here dressed as Dawn?"

"She's –"

"_That IS Dawn. Duplica is talking to Gary over at the VIP Café._" a voice behind them whispered.

Misty nearly fell over from shock at the third voice's entry. Anabel reeled over at the sight of May crouched with them. "_M-May?! How long have you been there?!_"

"_I've been here the entire time._" May shrugged. "_We're supposed to be helping each other, right?_"

"But… I haven't sensed you this entire time." Anabel shook her head, wondering why she could only feel the Coordinator's emotions come into being now. "_How…_ How are you hiding your emotions like that?"

"_What are you talking about? I'm not hiding anything. I'm still learning how to control my Empathy, remember?_"

Misty remained silent, eyeing her with curiosity. She distracted herself with other thoughts, preventing herself from giving away the Coordinator's most recent developments to the powerful Empathic. Returning her mind to the situation at hand, she asked, "How do you know Duplica's with Gary right now?"

"_Saw them on our way here. I know that was a while ago, but Gary was comparing files and notes with her. I doubt they would've been finished that fast. Especially fast enough for Duplica to put on a perfect Dawn disguise._"

Anabel's suspicions towards May vanished as she reached out with her Empathy again. "_No…_ But that's Duplica. I _know_ that's Duplica. Unless Dawn's…"

"_Mimicking Duplica's emotions._"

"Is that possible? And why would she do that?"

"_I would think that's possible… And I think she may have been counting on someone spying on the room when she came back here._"

Misty jotted several shorthanded notes onto the paper and slipped it into her pocket. "Come on. The more we talk about it, the more time we're giving her to get away."

May raised her brow. "_So we're not stopping Tracey and BiBi from sneaking off, but we're stopping Dawn?_"

"Dawn's different." was Misty's only response. The orange-haired young woman quietly slipped to the door's opening and placed her hand softly against its surface. As the blue-haired Coordinator reached the doorway, Misty gestured quickly to the other females. Rushing in as one, Misty, Anabel, and May covered the entrance and shut it behind them.

Dawn froze in place, her eyes widening.

"And where do you think you're going?" Misty asked darkly. Her fingers reached into her pocket, playing with a poké ball. She knew what the Coordinator would do next.

"_**Get out of my way.**_" Dawn growled as she clicked three poké balls to battle-ready size. Her eyes were shimmering with held tears.

Despite the obvious emotions held by the girl, Anabel couldn't sense any sadness or desperation. She could only feel the controlled mimicry of Duplica's essence. "_Dawn?_ What are you doing?"

"_**Move.**_" Dawn repeated. "_He's getting further away._"

"Who's getting away?"

A tear finally broke away from her control and slid down her cheek. "_Sato…_"

"What do you mean?"

Misty frowned in realization. She stepped away from her spot and kicked the door open. "GO!"

"Misty? What are you –?" Anabel was silenced as Dawn rammed her out of the way. The blue-haired Coordinator sprinted down the Corridor in a speed none of them could expect to have kept up with. Before the lilac-eyed Empathic could yell at Misty, the Gym Leader ran out the door, following Dawn at her own speed. "Wh-Where are you going?!"

"ASH IS IN TROUBLE!" she yelled back as she pushed her pace.

"_**WHAT?!**_" May's eyes flared. Her fist struck the wall in explosive frustration. "**Maylene, you were supposed to protect him!**" She forced herself into a run, chasing after the others.

"_No…_" Anabel gasped. Almost out of instinct, she hooked a device against her ear and began to rotate a knob attached to her hip. She searched through its frequencies as she ran. "This is Anabel! This is an emergency! Is anyone on their radio, right now?! This is Anabel!" she shouted into her headset as she turned the near-empty corner of Corridor C. Her body impacted against a wall, having trouble to keep up with the movements of the bandana-wearing Coordinator in front of her. "This is Anabel! Is anyone on?!"

She cursed. Tears ran down her eyes as she felt her grasp and control of the world around her slipping away. Her patience for Ash and trust in others were slowly showing themselves to be handicaps. No matter what choice or practice she executed, she always seemed to find herself several steps behind others… _I waited for Ash… and he chose Maylene. I trained May… and now she's surpassing me. I neglected Dawn… and she's become someone I can't even recognize. And now I'm the only one following our procedures with radios… and no one's answering. They're probably all doing something of importance right now, and I'm the useless one… I'm slowing everyone else down now… When did this happen?_

A blurt of loud static knocked her attention back into reality. She was still running, instinctually following May's form as it went through another doorway. "Hello?" Her finger pressed onto the earpiece. "Is someone on this frequency? This is Anabel!"

"_Yeah, Anny! I'm on here! What's going on!"_ Angie's voice spiked through.

Her voice made Anabel's heart melt in comfort. It had only been two days since she had spoken to the tomboy face-to-face, yet she missed her now more than ever. The golden-eyed tomboy from Solaceon Town was her only real female friend within the team – all others were friends by acquaintance or by business. Even the other Mayas never connected to her in the way that Angie had. Comparatively, the two were far too different from the other to fully cooperate like they could with their counterparts – but it was in their difference that they found a sense of balance. Dichotomy had prevented each of them from becoming too one-sided in their thoughts and efforts. And it was that dichotomy that she needed most now.

Anabel couldn't help but laugh in happiness. Angie's voice had reminded her that the tomboy hadn't changed at all… In abilities, Angie was now considered one of the most hindering figures within their team – yet Angie had never let it bother her. _She only sought to give what she could to the others._ And in affinity, Angie could have been considered to be the most betrayed by Ash and Maylene's relationship – yet Angie never let it depress her. _She showed no regret in her patience for the man of her dreams. _These traits were only part of the many hidden reasons why Anabel admired her greatly. _I shouldn't let this bother or depress me either…_

"_Anne? You on here still?"_ the voice spoke again.

"_Y-Yes_. I'm still here." she responded after clearing her throat. "It's great to hear your voice."

"_Huh? What did you say?"_

"Nothing. We have an emergency." Anabel looked up, watching May run through an open passageway to the outside. Two Resistance guards were knocked out beside her. She wasn't sure whether they attempted to stop their leaving, or if Dawn had simply showed impatience for procedures. Whatever the reason was, it no longer mattered. She hopped over them and ran out into the open early morning air.

"_What's going on?"_

"Ash is in trouble. I think someone kidnapped him."

"_**WHAT?!"**_

Anabel nearly pulled her headpiece off from the screech of sound that rang with Angie's response. Wincing and pressing the button, she explained, "Dawn said something about Sato being taken away. Or something similar from that. She didn't elaborate."

"_WHERE?! WHERE IS HE NOW?! Hold on! I need to get my pokémon!"_

_Right, our poké balls… This may be a tough battle._ "Angie. I need you to pick up all our poké balls. And if you can, bring some of our supply bags. I'm not sure what we're up against."

"_I'm grabbing the poké balls, but I'm not taking any bags! There's no way I'm going to slow myself down with that stuff!"_

"Angie! This is important!"

"_That's why I'm only taking the poké balls! I'm putting Latias in charge of grabbing our bags! Don't worry; she's with me right now. Just tell me where I should be headed!"_

Anabel stopped in her chase, surveying the ground around her. Daggers and darts littered the floor. Singe streaks and impact fractures decorated the roads and building walls throughout the area. The marks were hours old… A strange scent in the air was left behind, revealing the frightening identities of the assaulters.

Her finger pressed hard against the earpiece. "**Angie! Get Latias to leave a message for Gary! Tell him that we won't be back anytime soon! We'll get into contact with him as soon as we're able to, but right now he's officially in charge of meeting with Operation Beta! Whoever's left in there is going to be accompanying him! Got it?!**"

The radio blurted in static. _"You heard that, Latias?"_ Angie's voice returned to the microphone, _"Whatever's going on out there, Anne, it sounds big. Where is it and what's the details?"_

"Hearthome's fourth exit. Heading out towards Route 212. I think they're moving towards Pastoria City. Bring some of Gary's pidgeots."

"_What kind of numbers are we up against?"_

"Not sure… but they're Hunters."

"…_Hunters have Ash?"_

"I can confirm that. Hurry, Anj."

"_Don't need to tell me twice, Princess."_


	15. Flaws

The water droplet trail finally ended. Any further traces were now completely evaporated by the rising sun. And though the warm morning gave the benefit of a welcoming atmosphere for her tingling nerves, Maylene only took it as an extra blow to her already beaten pride. For her, the new morning was only a measurement of how much time had passed since her failure. _Too much time…_ The kidnappers had an extreme head start on her due to the female Hunter's paralyzing venom. How much of a head start, she wasn't sure. And where, she was no longer sure. Up to this point, she had depended on the female Hunter's frozen arm to continue leaving a melting track to follow. But with it gone, she no longer knew where to move forward…

_They've been stopping at checkpoints every so often, but none of them were in a straight line. And the line's pattern made it look like they were heading for Pastoria, but the direction of the last checkpoint was pointing away from it… Where in the world are they taking Ash?_

…

_Ash…_

Maylene grit her teeth as she struck herself in the stomach. Her forward movement slowed to a stop. Showing concern for his Trainer, Machoke looked up to Maylene and frowned. The fighter was sitting on his shoulder, wincing from her self-afflicted attack. Realizing that they had stopped, Maylene returned his look and smiled weakly back. "_Sorry…_ I'm just… Sorry. Keep going." Machoke nodded and continued his walk. Beside him, Buizel and Sceptile scanned the forest around them in unease. Maylene sighed. _They're losing his trail too…_

The three pokémon and one human had travelled together, desperate to make up for their failure to protect Ash and Bianca. While Maylene knew it would have been far more intelligent to contact the others within the base before setting off, she couldn't force herself to ignore her honor. In her heart, she knew that she was directly at fault for Ash's capture. And in her pride, she knew that it was her responsibility to get him back. The pokémon left over had agreed with her dogma, refusing to head back to the base until they redeemed themselves. However, as each of them was heavily injured from their battles, none of them had the ability to follow through with their determination… That inability was cured soon after.

The Hunters had left behind the blonde's purse. Thanking any possible higher power for the luck, Maylene had searched inside, finding several Potions and other medicines within its overcrowded contents. It was through the use of the medicines that the pokémon had recovered from their injuries and fatigue completely, and how Maylene had learned that Paralyze Heal didn't have the same effect on humans… Her legs remained absolutely numb, and her chest itched terribly.

She took the inconveniences as minimally deserved punishments. In her mind, she wished for a greater burden – a greater suffering. Anything to chastise her for her faults. _I should have kept my eye on you, Ash. I knew that Hunters always distract their opponents from protecting their targets… but at that moment, I didn't care. I was too busy focusing on my fights that I completely forgot about your safety._ She frowned, digging her poorly cut nails into her stomach. _I'm a terrible girlfriend for you, Ash. Anyone else would have protected you and stayed close to you. But I'm… selfish. Undisciplined. Impatient. Short-sighted. Stubborn. And foolish. For those things, I'm sorry. I'm guilty of those things, and I don't deserve you for that. But I promise I'll make it up to you. I don't know how, but I swear to you that you won't regret ever choosing me._

"Bui." Buizel stood straight, getting the attention of Machoke.

The Superpower Pokémon turned and tilted his head. "Choke?"

"Buizel." The Water Type pointed upwards.

Following the point, Maylene found a strange shine shimmering from one of the trees. "What's that?" Machoke walked forward for her and leaned, allowing the fighter to get a closer look. Her fingers plucked at the shine, finding it to be the reflection on a strand of white hair. "_…This isn't white hair._" she murmured as she took the strand away from the light. Without the effect of the sun's rays, the white hair dimmed to a soft golden. "Blond hair. Green-eyes' hair?"

A smirk formed across her face as she glanced at her surroundings. The smirk gradually disappeared when she couldn't find additional glimmers or shines in the distance. "I wouldn't suppose any of you guys have a great sense of smell?" All three pokémon did their best to sniff at the hair. They sighed in defeat. "…I thought not. Another lead goes cold."

She stared at the forest floor, doing her best to spot any variations on the environment.

…

Her shoulders dropped in disappointment. "What I wouldn't do for Tracey or Misty's tracking skills right now. I guess all I'm really good for is fighting."

"_What was that sound?"_

Maylene stiffened. Machoke, Buizel, and Sceptile locked eyes with her. Acknowledging their questioning looks, she pointed upwards. They nodded in unison.

Sceptile and Buizel leapt into the treetops above. Machoke climbed carefully up the nearest tree, with Maylene holding tightly around his neck. Within seconds, they had disappeared from the forest floor – leaving only their weighted footsteps to show where they had been.

…

"_I don't hear anything."_ a second voice grumbled.

"_I swear I could've heard something…" _the original voice whispered curiously.

"_You trying to scare me?"_

"_What? Are you scared of the woods?"_

"_You know the rumors about this forest."_

"_The Aura Guardian's hideout rumor? Calm down. Didn't you hear? He got captured."_

"_What?! Are you serious?!"_

"_Yeah. Just got announced before our shift. Weren't you paying any attention?"_

"_Those meetings bore me."_

"_Well he got caught by Larcos' team. Though Larcos got pretty messed up from that Hunt."_

"_I'm not surprised. That Guardian took out how many of us? I'm surprised that a Hunter, even one as seasoned as Larcos, got out of that Hunt alive."_

The first voice increased in volume as it cleared its throat. With a yawn, he finally walked into view. A male Empire Soldier equipped with a standard automatic rifle lazily searched his surroundings. "Want to go visit them later?"

"Huh?" The second soldier came into view, another male sporting the same black uniform and standard rifle. "Are they near here?"

"They're in our base, you idiot!" He smacked his partner across the head.

"Hey! How would I know that?!" His partner jabbed him lightly with the butt of the gun.

"Why else would we get that announcement during our meeting? Our base is handling the interrogations!"

"I didn't know that! So wait, if we're handling interrogations… _Does that mean we…?_"

"Man, I hope we are." The soldier spun his rifle around his shoulder and targeted a nearby tree. "What I wouldn't do to be one of the ones to execute that Guardian… I know I never told you this, but one of my friends disappeared when his team encounter–_AI!_" his story yelped to a halt as a massive blue hand wrapped roughly around his head. A loud metallic **crack** echoed through the forest. His weapon was snapped in half in front of his eyes by another large hand. The finger against his chin forced him to turn towards his partner – who shook in fear as a glowing Leaf Blade was held against his neck.

Both were forced to stare at the other, each with their life threatened and their weapons rendered useless. The ambush forced on them was swift and aggressive, giving them a clue to who their assailants were…

"_Tch… Operation Beta, huh?_" the soldier held by the machoke's hand growled defiantly, "_Didn't think your kind worked this far south…_" He eyed the forest frantically, trying to find any of the pokémon's Trainers.

"Up here, buddy." Maylene got the man's attention with a light flick to his head. "So… I heard you know where a friend of mine might be. Care to point me in the right direction?"

"_So Beta's interested in the Aura Guardian? What for? And you say you don't know where the base here is? Pathetic._"

The man's strangely detailed responses made the fighter tilt her head in curiosity. "…You're bugged, aren't you?" She leaned forward, pulling up one of her pant legs. A bandage was tightly wrapped around her thigh, with a small bump at its center. "Too bad that I've got a frequency killer, right?" To further prove her point, she held out a headpiece and clicked its button several times. "Even my radio's been dead because of it. So treat this as a serious interrogation, OK?"

Her disclosure made him panic. He smiled weakly and cleared his throat. "_Ah, well… Sorry for calling you pathetic then._"

"I'm not here for small talk. I need to know where your little base is and where I'll find the Aura Guardian in there."

"Don't tell her, Frank! We're better off dead than snitching!" the other soldier yelled.

Maylene sighed. "Well, Frank, I think your friend was making a request. I really would prefer to let both of you go and pretend that we never ran into each other… but if you really would rather have your neck snapped like a twig, then count yourself lucky 'cuz I'm actually in a terrible enough mood to consider it."

"_It's… It's just north of here. Pretty big building, can't miss it._"

"FRANK!"

"_You'll find the Aura Guardian either locked up in the basement prison cells or the interrogation rooms within the second level basement. Both can be found if you follow the red signs on the walls._"

His partner attempted to break free, only to be threatened back into submission with a slight cut across his neck's surface. "F-Frank! We're going to get locked up with that Aura Guardian because of you!"

"The Administrators don't have to know. She's part of Operation Beta! They could have figured out our layout from any of their raids! _…Right?_"

Maylene shrugged. "Sure, I guess. I'm not part of Operation Beta though."

"Y-You're not?!"

"Never said I was." The fighter nodded to Machoke and Sceptile, signaling them to throw their prisoners to the floor. "Now get out of here before I'm tempted to beat the crap out of you guys. And if these 'administrators' ask what happened to your weapons, tell them you fell down some stairs."

The two Empire Soldiers stared at her oddly.

She ignored them and gestured for the pokémon to move. On cue, they broke off into a sprint, dashing through the forest in a desperate speed. "Come on boys… We've got a base to wreck."

* * *

"–ANT TO KNOW HOW A PRISONER YOU WERE HOLDING DISAPPEARED!"

"I – I don't know, sir! A-Are you sure that isn't him?"

"DOES IT LOOK LIKE HIM?!"

"K-Kind of…"

"I'm surrounded by idiots. **WAKE HIM UP!**"

Ice cold water stabbed against his skin. Ash gasped into complete consciousness.

Though he had technically been awake within the passing and fading hours, Ash hadn't gained full awareness until the freezing shock to his system. His eyes forced open, staring blankly into the darkness. Blind, he reached out with his emotions towards the few figures that surrounded him. Each stood as menacing individuals, holding an air of superiority or inferiority of varying degrees – which he assumed revealed their rank. One figure he could 'see' clearly was the one holding his arms in place behind his back. The darkened scene only revealed the situation he had been framed into… Framed, because he was not the one intended for the interrogation.

The person behind him pulled his head up by the hair.

One of the figures, the one with the largest presence, approached him and attempted to lock eyes… "_The boy's blind?_" He turned and roared, "**WE'VE TRADED THE GUARDIAN FOR A BLIND BOY?!** INCOMPETENCE! THAT'S ALL I'M SEEING! YOU SHOULD ALL BE ASHAMED TO WEAR THE EMPIRE UNIFORM!"

"M-Maybe he's the Guardian's little brother? He has a striking resemblance to him…"

A **smack** echoed, followed by a whimper. "If the man is willing to trade his younger, BLIND brother for his own safety, then I shouldn't think that his role is of any importance! We've been tricked by a poor look-a-like and the Guardian could very well be loose in the base! SEND OUT PATROLS TO EVERY ROOM! I WANT THIS PLACE CONFIRMED CLEAN OF ANY ABNORMALS IN TEN MINUTES, AND I WANT HIM FOUND AND CAPTURED BY THE END OF THE HOUR! DO YOU HEAR ME!?"

"S-Sir? Do we continue with the interrogation? With… _the… boy?_" another voice spoke and fell into a trembling whisper, "_You're going to hit me, aren't you?_"

"I should hope that I shouldn't have to!" The man stomped towards Ash and grabbed him by the neck, throwing him to the floor in frustration. "If the Guardian slipped him here, then he wants him here. He wants our priorities split. _We won't give him that luxury…_ I want this boy locked up with the woman! No one gets in those cells when Lockdown starts and no one gets out until Lockdown ends! _**DO YOU UNDERSTAND!?**_"

"**SIR YES SIR!**" they shouted in unison, leaving a ringing sound in Ash's hearing.

Within seconds he was forced to his feet and pushed into a march. The man behind him roughly tied a blindfold over his eyes… _Incompetent, maybe not. But definitely stupid._ Ash held a laugh.

For five minutes of walking, shoving, pulling, striking, and tackling through and between several rooms and halls of different temperatures and colors, Ash had done his best to memorize distance and direction – an action he found difficulty in focusing on as he remained anxious of the situation he was forced into. The struggle between preparation and worry ended once he found himself being thrown into a cold atmosphere.

He landed onto something sharp and slid across the floor.

**CLANG**

A metallic door had shut behind him.

He was about to roll himself onto his back, when he suddenly heard a loud scraping heading towards him. Panic struck at his heart and mind when he couldn't sense anything in the direction of the sound. Trained to flee from such dangers, he instinctually pushed himself to his feet and backpedaled into a row of bars. The sound scratched into a halt as it rammed into its own boundary of iron bars. "Who – Who's there?" he called out nervously, realizing that whoever made the sound was likely a prisoner as well.

"_I'm… s…_"

Ash tilted his head, wondering how he couldn't understand the low-volume words. "Huh?"

"_I'm… sor…_" the person whimpered. The whimper covered the words, yet revealed more than any words could have accomplished.

"Bianca?" he called curiously. He pushed his Empathy further out, finally finding her emotions – miniaturized and hidden from those too curious to search for them.

His call caused a reaction in the condensed feelings.

Shattering her only known way of controlling herself, the Unova native broke into a loud howl of cold and warm emotions. Her aura of shame had flared to an enormous size, shaking and fizzing from the hundreds of 'apologies' that hung on her shoulders. "_**I'M SORRY!**_" she finally screamed. "_I'm – I'm – I'm sorry! I'm __**SORRY!**__ I'm sorry! I'm sorry – sorry!_" she repeated continuously, unable to find any other words to express her thoughts and emotions. "_**I'm sorry!**_" was all she could say. All else had drained into muddled half-words with little to no meaning. "_I'm sorry…_" was the only thing she wanted to dearly communicate.

Ash approached her carefully, making sure he didn't glide on the noticeably slippery floor. Reaching the bars on the other side, he crouched over and searched for her with his hands. Her emotions were far too loud and fluctuating for him to 'see' her clearly… he could only hope he was searching the correct area of the cell's bars. Sliding his hands down the poles, he found another pair of hands, both gripped tightly to their spot. "Bianca…"

The touch of his fingers caused her to pull away. "_S-Sorry… I'm sorry._" was all she replied with.

He reached through the bars, asking her silently for her hands. Though he himself had never communicated with Bianca in this way, he knew that this was Sato's way of speaking to her. The Bianca of Unova was a physically-dependent woman, requiring touch, sight, sound, taste, and smell to find a sense of self and understanding of the world around her. As such, Sato had always done his best to communicate with her through touch, to help her find comfort within her most troubled moments. No sense of romantic intentions or sensual desires was ever felt through these actions… For Sato, it was _'just what she reacted to most'_. And for Bianca, it was _'just how Sato spoke to her'_. No more and no less.

But Ash was no Sato. He was well aware of that, as much as she was. Despite being nearly one and the same, Sato and Ash differentiated extremely on their history and experiences. With Bianca, Sato had experience where Ash had none with her. The two were unfamiliar towards one another, having never spent any time alone together. A touch was far too intimate for strangers, they realized. …but Ash needed to speak with her… and Bianca dearly wanted to express what she couldn't form into words.

With great hesitation, she finally reached out, placing her hand in his.

Her hand trembling in his, he knew she was finally willing to communicate. "…It's okay."

Ash's only words caused her to break yet again, though with the help of his touch, allowed her to speak with clarity, "_NO__** IT'S NOT!**__ It's not okay…_ It's not! _I messed things up…_ I messed everything up! I shouldn't have believed him! I shouldn't have forced you to prove anything to me! I shouldn't have made you go back to Sato! I shouldn't have told Duplica about us! I shouldn't have given my Pokédex to the Resistance! I shouldn't have told them as much as I did! I shouldn't have discouraged BiBi so much… _I shouldn't… I shouldn't have…_"

His hands wrapped around her wrist and pulled her close, embracing her. "_You're not a burden._" he whispered, reading into her every confession and desire, "_You're not a burden to us._"

"_I am… I am, Ash._" she mewled as she gripped firmly onto his shoulders, "_I shouldn't be in this team… I'm slowing all of you down. I'm screwing everything up. I'm making us mess up at everything we do. You're all so great and amazing, and I'm just the 'civilian'… Even when you try to teach me things as Sato, I can't learn it right. I can't remember it when I need to. And I don't even want to go through those lessons. I think they're boring. I think they're useless… but I'm the one that's boring and useless. I'm sorry I treat you that way. I don't mean it. I'm just…_"

"You're not a burden, Bianca." She turned away; he pulled her back by sliding his hand across her chin. She instinctually reacted to it, giving her full attention. His faded eyes begged her to look deep into them, asking for her trust, and promising his complete honesty. "You don't slow us down, Bianca. You're not a screw-up, Bianca. You don't mess everything up. You do learn things right. You're not boring and you're definitely not useless. And you shouldn't be jealous."

Her green eyes stared at his eyes with great interest. She didn't accept his invitation for complete trust, but she sought her own reasons to believe him. The scars that formed across his eyes were now her only focus. Reading emotions and understanding things on an intuitive level weren't traits that she could boast in holding. How a person looked and what words they chose were her only true indicators of a person's honesty. _But in Ash… _she found no obvious evidences. His words were foolishly kind, and his youthful appearance made him seem inexperienced and unknowledgeable of many things.

_Yet he was the leader of their team._ And whether or not the others wanted to admit it, she knew that he ran their team beautifully. She had never seen a leader become so involved with each member they managed over… She had never seen a leader hold the absolute trust and confidence of each member that followed them… In truth, she hadn't seen many leaders in her sheltered life, but she knew that Ash had surpassed Gary. From her time with Gary, she found that the former Pokémon Researcher had only excelled as a team leader from his technique, precision, and discipline with management. _But Ash was different._ He led through passion, care, and trust. Those that would fight with him would gladly follow him to even the most impossible missions, to even the most fearsome of places… _because they shared his passion, they cared for him, and they trusted him absolutely. Gary is a great leader by design… but Ash, I think, was born one…_

_But why?_ Her eyes traced his scar, wondering what sort of accident had caused it. _Why do they follow someone who's blind?_

Ash answered her silent questions with a silent answer. He closed his eyes and slipped his fingers into her hand, wrapping gently around her fingers. His shoulders relaxed and he exhaled slowly.

His hand in hers felt soft, sensitive, and weak. Naïve as a child's. Confident in the hand who pulled at his. _…He trusts us._ Tears quickly rolled down her cheek. "_You trust me. Even though I don't deserve it. Why?_"

"Why shouldn't I?" he asked innocently.

"B-Because!" she shouted and threw his hands away from her. "I already told you why! I'm a screw-up! I'm a weight! I'm a bother and a pain! You put so much trust in me even though I'm a Leanne! And Leanne never trusted you fully like the others did! Did you know that?! That's why they were always telling you what to do! Because they didn't think you knew what you were really doing! _I'm like that, Ash!_ I didn't think you knew what you were doing with your relationships… So I tried to get involved… and I just messed things up even more! I'm worse than a Leanne, Ash! I make terrible mistakes! I make everything get worse before they get any better! I'm a failure even at being who I'm supposed to be! Who you trust me to be! Someone who you shouldn't even be trusting because they don't even trust _YOU_!"

She wept bitterly into her hands, curling up and wishing to disappear from existence. "I'm a terrible person to trust… _I'm sorry. I wish I could be better. I wish I knew enough so that my decisions would at least be slightly beneficial to you, to us._ But I don't. I'm not everything you think I can be, Sato. I'm 'just Bianca'. The worst addition you could have ever put into your team. _I don't want to be the worst…_ but that's what I am."

…

Ash brushed his fingers against her hair. "_What do you wish for most, Bianca?_" he asked with a soothing tone of care, "_What do you want most for us as a team? What do you want us to accomplish?_"

"_I…_" Bianca sighed as she pressed her head slightly against his fingers, feeling the Empathic's relieving energy run across her hair and skin. "_I want us to all be happy… I don't want us to fight anymore. I want to make everyone smile and laugh like none of these terrible things happened. And I want to fix all those bad things. Make them go away. But I don't want to make the bad people go away… I just want the bad part of them to go away. I just want them to know what they did was wrong and for them to say sorry. And we'll all just work together to make everything great and amazing again…_" She giggled softly. "This sounds so stupid, doesn't it?"

"No… it sounds perfect."

She blinked. Tilting her head up towards him, she frowned. "_You're supposed to say it's stupid…_"

"Why?" He simply smiled back.

"Because it is! It's not realistic… It's not possible. It's not well thought-out or planned or anything like that! It's stupid and childish!"

"I don't think it is. I think we can aim for something like that… In fact, that's what I've been kind of hoping for."

"…What?"

Ash snickered at how strangely similar their ideals were. "Maybe it's not put as simply as yours, but I do want us all to be happy again. I want to fix all the bad things too. And if the 'bad people' really are sorry for what they've done and want to help us rebuild everything? I'd definitely forgive them for everything they've done. We shouldn't aim to punish violence with violence and hate with hate, you know?"

"…_Really?_ Then why… Why do you fight?"

"Because that's how they want to talk." He shrugged. "If you think about it, fighting isn't really bad – it's what comes from the fighting and the reason for the fight that makes everything worse. It's like Pokémon Battles: We're not doing it to hurt each other's pokémon, but so that we can compete and become stronger. We talk to and learn from our opponents in that way. It's fun and amazing, even if it hurts. And just the same way: I'm talking to the Empire. But they don't really want to talk with fun or amazement. They want to push their control on all of us. And I fight to say 'No'. I'm going to keep fighting until they get the message. Because I don't agree with how they think the world should be. Millions of others don't agree with them. And I'm speaking for them."

Bianca pouted. "_Why can't we just… I dunno, talk things over lunch or something?_"

He laughed at her simple viewpoint. "Because people can even use words to harm and control others. Sometimes words hurt even more than an injury. Sometimes words hurt even more than a person's death. Fighting and losing lives makes a statement, but words can confuse and change the meanings behind them… And people will listen to those words for years, decades, and probably centuries to come, changing their entire lives around them. So not everything is better solved with words, you know?"

"I… I guess. I just wish people didn't always try to ruin everything by being selfish."

"Me too…"

…

…

"_So you really agree with me?_" Bianca asked hesitantly, "_You don't think that I'm just being… stupid and childish?_"

Ash shook his head. "Not at all. I think you're being ignorant of a lot of facts and details, but I don't think you're being stupid or childish at all. You're seeing things as they should be, you just don't know how to make it happen."

"_That's what Sato said…_ but the way you said all that makes a lot more sense." She knocked at her head with her knuckles and laughed. "I'm not very good with my facts and details. So a lot of times I kind of need things dumbed-down a bit. Sometimes I need them dumbed-down a lot… _eheh._"

His hand reached over and wiped away her remaining tears. "You just see things as they are. I think we all just make things overcomplicated just to make ourselves feel smarter."

"I think you're really smart."

He blushed. "_Th-Thanks…_ That's weird to hear from people."

"I think they're just afraid to admit you're right most times."

"Like you?"

"Huh?"

"I said you're not a burden. That you're not a screw-up. And that you don't mess everything up. And you didn't want to believe me."

Bianca frowned, her emotions slowly returning to its somber color. "…Are you sure that I'm not? What proof do you have?"

"You keep trying." He answered confidently, "I know you make mistakes. But all of us made mistakes. You just started your adventure later than all of us, so you're making all your mistakes now as you learn and get better. And you're going to get better. As long as you keep trying."

"But until I get better, what good am I now? _I'm still a burden._"

"You can't be our burden if you're the reason why we have a spring in our step!"

"H-Huh?"

Ash grinned. "Every morning, that smile on your face and that cheery attitude you have helps the team get through their tough missions and heavy stresses for the day. That optimistic outlook you have keeps us all looking up and forward. And your funny way of putting things keeps us from taking ourselves too seriously… If it weren't for you, we'd all be hardened soldiers by now with barely a soul left in us."

"Y-You sure? But I haven't seen anyone cheery lately… Everyone's been so down and serious."

"That's because you haven't been happy lately. It's hard to smile when you aren't."

…

Bianca forced a smile. "…See? You're not smiling."

"Were you smiling? I couldn't tell."

She gave a wide grin. "Seeee?"

"I'm a blind Empathic, Bianca. I'm not going see anything unless you mean it."

She closed her eyes hard, trying to force her happiness out as she grinned as widely as she could. "_SEEEE?_"

"I said you have to mean it! Like this!" He reached over and shoved his fingers into her armpits.

"_**AAAH! AHAHA! NO STOP! DON'T DO THAT!**_" she screamed while laughing hysterically. She kicked and pushed at his arms, begging for mercy with her gestures. "_**S-S-STOP IT! AHAHAHAAHA!**_"

He pulled away immediately, laughing with her. "_See?_ Just like that!"

Bianca rolled back into a sitting position and wiped her tears, giggling away the last of her laughs. Her eyes locked onto Ash's face, gazing into his genuine smile. A strange feeling formed inside her chest as her cheeks turned pink. "_You… have a nice smile._"

"And you have a nice laugh."

"_Th-Thank you…_" Her cheeks burned rosy red. Her eyes sparkled brightly. "…Oh no."

"Oh no?"

"Oh no _no no no!_" She covered her eyes and cheeks in shame and began to shuffle away from the prison bars. "_AH! NO! This isn't supposed to happen!_"

Ash tilted his head in confusion, unsure why the blonde's emotions were quickly shrinking in size again. "What isn't supposed to happen?"

"Nothing! Absolutely nothing-nothing!"

"You can tell me, Bianca…"

She turned towards him, carefully staring at his features, almost as if to make sure that what she had felt was real. Her heart skipped at just the sight of him. Looking away, she gulped and frowned. "Ash…? I think I have a cr–"

"_**THE AURA GUARDIAN'S HEADING TOWARDS THE BASEMENT LEVEL! ALL SOLDIERS, DETAIN HIM AT ONCE!"**_ the intercom screeched into life, swallowing all sounds within the prison cells, _**"REPEAT – THE AURA GUARDIAN IS HEADED TOWARDS THE BASEMENT LEVEL! I WANT ALL SOLDIERS ON HIM RIGHT NOW! DO NOT LET HIM ESCAPE!"**_

Ash rubbed at his ears, trying to get rid of the terrible new ringing that formed in his hearing. "_Ow, that hurt!_" He tilted his head. "Um… I thought I was the Aura Guardian?"

"Hey! You are!" She nodded quickly and attempted to see outside of her prison cell. "But if you're here… then who's out there?"

* * *

"I bet they'll be double-crossed. Next lunch is my bet. And if they call in about it in the next day, then you owe me lunch AND dinner."

Tracey sighed. "What do you want, Todd?"

"For you to actually pay what you owe from previous bets, obviously."

"_I never agreed to any of those bets…_ And you know what I mean. What do you want from us? Why are you following us?"

The Photographer adjusted the bag strap around his shoulder and shrugged. "You don't seem very thankful that I decided to help the both of you out. Would you really rather carry all the supplies by yourself?"

"We don't need all those supplies. I already brought the essentials. You're the one who dragged those here. I don't even know where you got them. _That doesn't look like our stuff._"

"You'll thank me later."

The Sketch-Artist sighed again, wiping the sweat from his forehead. "No, but in all seriousness, why _are_ you following us, Todd?"

"Hey, BiBi here –"

"Please don't call me by that name anymore." the Alto Mare native commented ahead of them, "The other Bianca isn't traveling with us anymore. So 'Bianca' will do."

"Um, _okay?_" Todd raised his brow. "I don't see what's wrong with 'BiBi', but _whatever_. So Bianca here said she needed a bodyguard. And what's better than a bodyguard? Two bodyguards."

"_And how do you count as a bodyguard?_" Tracey muttered as he caught up with Bianca's pace.

"I heard that. Easy answer: I have a body and I can guard. Bodyguard. Boom. Blew your mind."

"You don't even know how to fight…"

"Neither do you."

"I have pokémon."

"Well, not all threats have to be faced head on. Sometimes it's best to hide or run away. And you know I'm good at finding the best routes for escape and know how to stay hidden."

"What you're good at is giving counterarguments," Tracey complimented with a hint of sarcasm, "but you still haven't answered the question. What are you doing here? Other than being an extra bodyguard, _bringing stolen items, and making bets that no one will agree to_ – Why are you following us?"

"Geez man. Ever thought of altruism?"

"Yeah, I have. But aren't you more of an egoist?"

"Is that how you see me? I'm hurt. Really I am."

Bianca raised her finger to get their attention. "Todd's here because he wants to be away from Duplica and Casey."

"_Ahh, okay._ Thanks Bianca." Tracey turned towards Todd and grinned. "See? That's all I wanted to know. No need for any counterarguments."

Todd's brow twitched in irritation. "Whatever. Just let me help you two out. I promise I won't get in the way of your secret honeymoon."

The male Sketch-Artist frowned in disapproval. "Rude and assuming, Todd. Very rude and assuming."

"No need to get defensive, Tracey."

"No need to defend your own failures in relationships by teasing others' relationships, Todd." He snapped back. He immediately regretted his words, "_I-I'm sorry._ I didn't mean that. You were just –"

"No need to defend us as if we are in an intimate relationship, Tracey. Because we're not." Bianca added quietly, breaking the older man's spirit. "I'm sorry as well. For how rude it sounded, not the intention behind it, that is."

Her half-apology only seemed to rub salt in the wound for Tracey. "_I-It's okay… I understand._"

"**Ouch!**" Todd laughed loudly. "Absolutely shot down!"

"Please stop bothering Tracey just to get a reaction out of him, Todd. I realize you're having confidence problems at the moment, but you really shouldn't be resorting to such childish antics just so that someone gives you attention."

"I – _WHAT?!_ I TALK TO TRACE LIKE THIS ALL THE TIME!"

"I'm sure you do."

"'_I'm sure you do.' 'I'm sure you do.'_" he mocked her in frustration. "You don't know me, BiBi. Staying quiet and paying attention to people doesn't make you know them! Sometimes you actually have to talk to them! If you talked to me, you'd know this is how I normally am!"

His aggression towards her didn't seem to faze her calm demeanor, "Is it? I remember you being far more respectful and far less hostile when we first met."

"So maybe _I am_ a _little_ more bothered these days! But maybe if you talked it over with me instead of just watching me get worse with each passing day, _maybe I wouldn't be so bothered!_"

"You wouldn't want to talk to me about it. You wouldn't want anyone to talk to you about it unless it was Casey or Tonya."

"**SO THEN DROP IT!**"

"I'll drop it if you promise to keep quiet until we reach our destination."

The Photographer bit his lip. He weighed the strap on his shoulder, tempted to throw his baggage at the rude Analyst.

…

With a slow exhale, he decided against it. "_I don't know what you see in her._" he grumbled to Tracey, quieting himself soon after.

"_She's not normally like this._" Tracey whispered apologetically, "_She's just stressed._"

Todd rolled his eyes and continued to walk silently behind them.

…

Minutes passed in eerie silence. It was a pleasant silence that Tracey had wanted to welcome with open arms, as this had been the first time he had ever been in the company of the Photographer without him whining into a rant. However, the weather had made him quickly miss Todd's especially vocal mannerisms. Without his distracting commentary, the environment slowly became more impossible to ignore.

Tracey wiped the sweat dripping through his bandana. Looking up, he was almost sure that the sun had gotten brighter and larger within the minutes Todd had gone quiet. It grew hotter. The half-barren dry lands around them turned the fierce heat into steaming moisture that only seemed to clog their pores. A terrible heat wave was forming as the afternoon sun dodged all the clouds that patched the sky. It was at this terrible realization that a question popped into his mind.

"Um… Bianca?"

"Yes, Tracey?"

"Why didn't we bring any of Gary's pidgeots?"

"Because we'd be –"

**Teep – Teep – Teep – Teep – Teep**

The young woman's explanation was cut off by a continuous chime heard inside her shoulder bag. "It's Ritchie and Solana's emergency signal." she noted audibly as she looked around in earnest. "Find anything out of the ordinary. A pokémon of some sort should be coming this way."

Todd and Tracey listened and watched carefully, attempting to track any variations in their surroundings. The two turned in unison towards the same direction, pointing towards the ground. "Something's moving underground." Tracey voiced as he stepped away from the vibrating foundation.

As soon as the Sketch-Artist had moved, a fracture formed on the ground's surface and crumbled away. Rising from the shattered dirt, rock, and dried grass, a creature of strange design pushed its bulbous head into view. Its cream-roughed skin and brown-rimmed black eyes shocked the three artists. "Wh-What is that thing?" Tracey instinctively stood in front of Bianca in protection, though he himself was visibly shaken. "I've never seen a pokémon like – _wait…_"

The pokémon's eyes widened and shrank, sending a gust of moist air into Todd's face. The Photographer gagged and spat as he did his best to get the terrible taste out of his mouth.

"_Those aren't eyes._ That's a nose!" Tracey laughed as he reached down and helped the pokémon push itself to the surface. With its entire body finally free from the subterranean hold, its odd dark and light brown patterns and rotund frame gave away its identity. "It's a hippopotas!"

The Hippo Pokémon wagged its relatively small tail, happy to be recognized. It opened its mouth and released a round device onto the ground. The device's light blinked red in time with the chime coming from Bianca's bag. She immediately turned it off, shutting off the device's light simultaneously. "Please, stay." she asked the pokémon with the hopes that it understood. It simply tilted its head and began to roll in the dirt. "…Thank you. _I think._"

Tracey and Todd peered at the device in Bianca's had with curiosity. They had never seen such a machine in their team or anything similar outside of it. The Alto Mare native didn't care to explain its origins, pressing the button on its side without hesitation.

**Click** – _**"BiBi!"**_ the device hissed loudly, causing the two young men to jump in surprise – and causing Bianca to wince at the use of her nickname. The device continued with far less static, _"Solana here. Big problem. Very big problem. Ash went missing and the girls ran off to find him. Something about Hunters. All of them left. Only Gary, Duplica, Ritchie, and I didn't end up heading out. They took most of Gary's pokémon too – I think just the pidgeots. That's where our problem is: __**They flew off on the pidgeots!**__ I'm guessing you already know what happened next: Rockets spotted them instantly. Pretty huge battle started happening between some Patrol troops on the surface. Rockets keep flooding in. Resistance fighting back hard, but they're having to blow some of their Corridors just to keep the Empire from finding their base. Gary and Duplica are racing to find Operation Beta now. Ritchie and I are being left to help out the Resistance as much as we can. Sign of good faith reasons. We're mostly doing help with evacuation and distractions. Not sure when Gary and I will meet again, and I don't think the girls are coming back. Really don't know what's going on beyond that. So if you've got any bright plans for us, it'd be lovely if you could send this hippopotas right back with some suggestions! And that's all. – That's all, right darling? Yeah? No, I'm asking you if that's all we had to say. Yeah. Okay. Right. – Yeah, that's all. Sending the hippo. Hope to hear back from you soon! Signing off. – Where's the off switch on thi–"_ – **Click**.

…

"…_Hunters…_" Bianca closed her eyes. Her hand pressed against her lips, doing all that she could do to stop her emotional reactions from pouring through. "_Ash… no…_" she whimpered in her fingers.

It was the first time Tracey had ever seen the young woman give a truly human response. For once, she had not predicted an outcome from one of her decisions – and her powerlessness in the situation was slowly cracking her calm and enduring façade. "Bianca…"

"_To…_ To answer your question…" she did her best to speak; clearing her throat with every moment her voice creaked and choked, "That's why we didn't bring any pidgeots."

"Bianca, I…"

"Please, just let me –"

Tracey held her close. Though he knew full well that she wanted time alone, he couldn't help his actions. It had been the most vulnerable he had ever seen her, and he couldn't bear for her to suffer alone. "_Shh. It's okay. He's fine… They're going to save him. You know that, right? Don't worry yourself over it. He'll be safe. Everything will be fine._"

"_I… I did that, Tracey. I messed it up. I thought that…_" She pressed her face into his shoulders, yet she wouldn't allow herself to fully break. Though tears fell from her eyes, she dearly wanted to cry more… Though she stood, she wanted to curl up and bury herself… An absolute shame and sorrow for what she had done were swallowing her. "_…the Quinns were supposed to…_"

"_You didn't know… It's okay that you didn't know. They can figure something out on their own. They always do._"

"_But I…_"

Todd destroyed the heavy air with a loud cough. The two Sketch-Artists turned towards him in surprise. He was holding out the device, pointing at the back of his wrist to signify time.

"**Todd! Have a little respect for once!**" Tracey shouted furiously. He was ready to continue his yelling when he was suddenly pushed away. "H-Huh?"

Bianca took the device and brushed away the last of her tears, still sniffling. "No. _He's right._ I may not be able to do anything for Ash right now, but Ritchie and Solana need me right now. _I…_ I can't ignore that."

"Bianca, you –"

Her hand pressed firmly at the device's center, its loud **Click** silencing Tracey's words. "Solana. Solana. This is… _BiBi._" she groaned her nickname. "I want you and Ritchie to sweep across Hearthome, gathering the Resistance forces and getting the attention of the Empire as you go. Do your best to use pokémon as sparingly as you can, or disguise their attacks as mechanical traps – whatever it takes to prevent the Empire from figuring out your roles while still combating them. As you move with the Resistance forces, gather them and retreat towards Mt. Coronet. Keep the retreat slow; you need to attract as much of the Empire's attention as you do this. Take one of the natural tunnels into the mountain and begin to divide the forces as you retreat into the hidden passages back into the base. There should be at least fifteen passages there, so spread them out into small groups. You want the Empire to get lost in Mt. Coronet. That should make them believe that the Resistance headquarters is located within it. Blow any base passages that they find. And be persistent in taking away command roles from the Resistance, they won't survive without this strategy. Gain the attention of the youngest and most inexperienced soldiers first – the rest will follow with the mass that way. Do this immediately. Don't worry about Ash or Gary, they will find a way to get into contact with you. Send back another message if you need further assistance. Good luck." – **Click.**

Bianca leaned over and put the device into the Hippo Pokémon's mouth. She patted its bulbous nose. "There you go. Go back now, please." she encouraged with slight pushes.

It wagged its tail and hopped back into the hole it had dug through.

…

A mixed sigh of stress and relief escaped her mouth as she fell back onto the patchy grass.

Tracey was about to say something, but was hushed.

"_Shhh…_" Bianca raised her finger gently onto her lips. "_…Just give me a minute to rest._"

Todd followed her example and dropped his large bag on the ground. He rolled onto his stomach and pulled his camera out of its casing, prepping it for a handful of test shots.

…

Tracey inhaled slowly, accepting her request. He sat to the floor and unbuckled his backpack. Lying onto his side, he stared into the dry grass blankly, clearing his thoughts… _I think we all need a minute…_


	16. Time

Another wall crumbled beside her. Peering through carefully, the blond-haired Bianca noticed that the area was clear… once again. Similar to the other shattered walls that had opened up a way for her; the blonde first helped her partner find his footing before hesitantly climbing through. In return, the young man pulled her to the other side. The two reconfirmed the safety of their surroundings and relaxed shortly after.

Calmed and ready to move on, her partner gently latched onto her elbow. Bianca's face shined pink. It wasn't the first time he had done this, and it certainly would not have been his last, but Bianca doubted that she would ever get used to his closeness. _Calm down… Calm down… He's just doing this because he can't see. You've seen him do it a hundred times before with the others, so this isn't a big deal!_ she convinced herself, attempting to drown out her nervousness.

Ash Ketchum, by himself, was a blind Empathic. His abilities in Empathy gave him far more insight than others, yet his physical blindness would never allow him to navigate through areas that required visual memorization or recognition. Because of this handicap, Ash always needed a guide outside of places he was familiar with. Guides were rotated members of the team; each had grown accustomed to handling the young man at some point in time… except for Bianca. It was her first time at taking the role of 'his eyes'. And with her constant indecisions, near falls, and misdirection, she realized why she had never been given the chance before. _I'm terrible at this…_

Distracted by worrying thoughts, the blonde tripped over her foot and immediately fell over – Ash caught her by the waist and pulled her back to her feet. Her face was shining pink again.

"_Eheh… haha…_ hahahahaha…"

"_Hah…_ ah… why are we laughing?"

"_I – I don't know!_" Bianca laughed awkwardly as she straightened her posture and advanced them forward stiffly.

"Do you know where we are?" Ash asked, quickening his pace to match the frantic-minded blonde.

The Unova native continued her march and swiftly eyed her surroundings. "I'm not really sure yet. But I know we're getting closer to an exit. At least, we should be, because every hole in the wall has been aimed in the same direction." she noted as she let out a sigh of relief. _Thank goodness for those holes…_

Staring back at the collapsed wall they had come through, Bianca gave a silent _'thank you'_ to whoever had aided them since their escape – an escape that would have forced them to run in circles if it weren't for the anonymous assistance. Just an hour previous, Ash had taken advantage of the chaos caused by the 'Aura Guardian' to break Bianca and himself free from their cells. The escape had screeched to a sudden halt when they had found that neither of them had a clear idea of where the base's exit was located. It was then, in their troubled time of confusion and indecision, when their first opening revealed itself. Room after room, hallway by hallway, walls had shattered and crumbled mysteriously as they passed them by. No obvious signs of explosives or impacts were found in their remaining rubble.

…only the familiar 'scent' of Aura.

It was a 'scent' that forced Ash to hesitate in his lectures against Bianca's leading – primarily, the leading through suspiciously-made passages. No matter how irrational the action was, Ash continued to follow. The 'scent' was unfamiliar, an Aura that belonged to someone he had never met. _Or at least, one that I can't recognize at the moment._ he considered. Juggling with the thoughts of the current Sinnoh's history with Aura Guardians and May's most recent developments in honing Aura, Ash found himself too curious of who they would find at the end to slow down Bianca's hurried guidance.

**CRSSHH**

The recognizable sound caused Ash to flinch to a stop. "Another wall?"

"Yeah…" Bianca replied, "And I think… Yes! _Yes! Yesyesyesyesyes!_"

A gust of cooling air struck at his skin, allowing Ash to predict what had just occurred. "Does that… _lead to the outside?_"

"YES!" Bianca shouted in glee. She wrapped her arms excitedly around the blind Empathic's shoulders and swung him off his feet. "_Aha ha hahah!_ I can't believe we made it out!" she celebrated loudly as she carried him through the opening. Setting him softly to the ground, the blonde blinked curiously and eyed Ash, breaking into a giggle.

"Huh? What?" His blank eyes stared in her direction with a confused expression.

"You're short!"

"H-Hey!"

"I never noticed how short you were!" she continued as she patted his head, "I think I'm just used to Sato."

"_Maybe you're just tall…_" he grumbled, swatting away her pets.

"_Maybe._ And maybe you're just small too."

His cheeks turned pink at her belittling comments. "Wh-Why are you even bringing this up? Shouldn't we be focusing on our escape?"

"Oh right. _S-Sorry._ I was just really excited." Bianca bowed apologetically and scanned the environment. "I'm seeing nothing but trees to escape into. _Um…_ I don't even know which way is the right way back to the base."

"BiBi didn't give you anything for a situation like this?"

"Not really… She didn't really trust me with any of her fancy gadgets… I'd always lose them somehow."

Ash sighed. "Let me see if I can find us something." Relaxing his breaths, he sent his Empathy out – hoping to discover their rescuer within the vicinity.

…

Not a trace of emotion could be found, excepting the questioning emotions of Bianca.

He winced and spun around in panic. Not a trace of emotion could be found with his Empathy, but a torrent of sounds could be heard with his focused ears. "Cover!" Ash grappled Bianca to the ground, protecting her body from the incoming debris.

A frightening **KRAK** was heard shortly after. Just above the torn passageway that the two had escaped through, a portion of wall cracked and exploded outwards – throwing debris and smoke into the early evening sky. Being thrown with it, a cloaked figure twisted and curled in mid-air, attempting to reorient itself for a safe landing. The figure wasn't given the chance. Gunfire roared, trailing the bullets sprayed from the second floor's new opening.

Preferring to defend its life than its physical comfort, the figure landed poorly and turned to meet the challenge. Spreading its arms wide, a flash of blue energy halted and slowed all projectiles that came into contact with it.

Ash's eyes widened at the sight. Though his blindness prevented him from seeing anything physically, his Aura allowed him to view the blue energy flare into existence. The will behind it was something unique altogether – fighting against the tide of time rather than the forces of willpower. It was a use of Aura that neither Ash nor Sato had ever witnessed before.

_But that won't be enough to stop the bullets. They need to be pushed away, not slowed down!_

Rolling away from Bianca's body, Ash charged towards the torrent of blue, preparing an Aura Sphere at the end of his palms.

**NO!**

His Aura Sphere refused to grow in size. _No… it's being slowed down!_ He glared at the figure's direction. Its blue energy was glaring back at him, using its energy to suppress his powers. Ash knew that if simply pushed his will, he would have been able to break free from the hold – but the figure seemed to have a plan, and he was only getting in its way.

The cloaked figure flexed in power, creating a thick wall of azure light. Its will was similar to the previous, pushing against the essence of time to delay and restrict all those within its grasp. The figure nudged its head back, hoping to encourage Ash to run. Ash stayed, not able to see the gesture. With a grunt, the silent ally turned and tackled the young man into a run. It sprinted towards Bianca, whose wandered thoughts had kept her immobile, and lifted her to her feet, also encouraging her to run.

"Wh-What's going on?" Bianca shouted as she did her best to keep up.

"I'm not really sure! But I think this is the one that saved us!" Ash responded as he dove into the dense woods.

"Oh! Hey! Um, thank you very much for rescuing us, mister!"

The figure didn't respond, it didn't turn, it only continued to sprint between the trees and wave its arm frantically as a signal for them to follow.

As the three disappeared further into the forest, shouts and roars echoed throughout the Empire base. Teams of Empire soldiers were sent out, only to be slowed to a crawl within the Aura field. Wave after wave of reinforcements and tertiary pokémon forces crashed into one another as they halted in their chase. The slow of time within the area had caused confusion and panic to spread, quickly shattering the lines of command.

Walking against the flow of chaos, a large man shoved several Empire soldiers and pokémon aside to make his way to the Aura's edge. Breathing in its unique scent, a false smile formed across his lips. "So there's two of them… Bad news for us." Dolan shrugged and turned, calmly returning to the walls of the ruined Empire base. "Fun for Larcs though."

The Hunter vanished into the shadows, leaving the hysteria to those dependent on orders.

Further away from the causes of distress and turbulence, the two escapees and their rescuer continued their sprints and bounds through the thick forest, dearly hoping to put an impossible distance between them and their chasers. The figure covered in a wooded camouflage cloak darted from one direction to the other, thrashing and tossing all branches and greenery in its way, attempting to confuse anyone lucky enough to have found their previously covered tracks. Every few runs and dashes, the anonymous rescuer would climb their way up a tree and leap to a random one, further warping their no-longer obvious trails. However, the followers had trouble keeping up with the figure's pace.

Blind and only being able to see the fog of energy the unknown person held, Ash tackled and crashed into almost every tree that was in his direct path. Bianca, far slower than the two ahead of her, poorly attempted to guide the Empathic's clumsy chase with small tugs at the end of his shirt whenever she was able to catch up with him. Their poor followings wouldn't be able to last for much longer. And much to their relief, it had ended only seconds after Ash had slammed his face into his fourteenth tree.

Tumbling backwards and ready to push himself back up, Ash was caught from behind. His Empathy and Aura had made him understand that it was the anonymous figure, and not Bianca, who had helped him this time. "Thanks." he responded to their action.

…

The person remained silent. Adding to the disconcerting ideas of their identity, Ash couldn't sense any responses of emotion from the figure. Only the controlled sense of Aura could be felt from them. "Now I know for a fact that I don't know who you are." he admitted in conversation. "Whoever you are – Thank you for saving us. We wouldn't have gotten out of there if it wasn't for your help."

…

Silence was still their only response.

To Ash's surprise, the person didn't disappear or continue their run. Far too adjusted to the idea that silent treatments usually meant that whoever he was speaking to would soon disappear from wherever they had stood – he had expected to have been left standing alone, speaking to no one but the wind. Yet the person continued to stand in front of him. Still silent. And their Aura only dimming itself to a soft whisper.

"Er… My name's Ash. What's your name?"

The figure moved. The sound of scraping dirt and soft wind were his only clues to where the figure had moved to and what it had moved to do. _Writing something on the floor…_ He knelt down after the sounds had stopped, brushing his fingers lightly against the forest ground to find the writing.

'A-u-r-a-G-u-a-r-d-i-a-n-?'

'Y-e-s' he responded with his own clawing on the dirt, curious of the person's preferred way of communication. With an exhale, he let a wisp of Aura escape his lips to further answer the simple question.

The fog of soft energy the stranger had held suddenly flared in size, responding greatly to Ash's answer. "Another!" they finally voiced. The tone and accent given was strange, awkward, and lacking any real form of pronunciation, hinting to the person's intention in staying silent.

Before Ash could come to the conclusion, however, he was knocked immediately to the floor with an excited embrace. It was in the embrace that he quickly found the person's gender. His face lit red at the realization. Such 'features' were not ones he sought when anyone had physically come into contact with him, but his curiosity of the unknown figure's identity had made him far too sensitive to any clues they would have given. _D-Definitely female…_

"Ah! Eh!" the excited female sounded as she sat up and grabbed onto Ash's hands. Her fingers traced against the lines of his palms, attempting to communicate.

After several patterns were repeated against his skin, he finally realized that she was writing letters on his hand. She had been asking him questions; though he couldn't fully understand them at the rate she was quickly scribbling them. "S-Slow down." he responded with an odd laugh, finding her fingers to be ticklish.

"Are you two playing a game?" Bianca innocently asked as she had finally reached the two of them.

"No. Um. Wait. Hold on." Ash bobbed his head up and down to the rhythm of each of the unknown female's tracing and taps, trying to communicate how much he could understand of her writings. "_Thought that she was the last one. Alone. Happy to see us._" he translated. He shook his head quickly to her next set of writings. "No, no, I'm an Aura Guardian. She isn't."

Grabbing him by the wrist, the female Guardian slapped his palms against hers, gesturing for him to write. She quickly tapped against her ears and made further signs that Ash couldn't see and that Bianca couldn't understand.

"Oh!" Bianca gasped in surprise. "_I think she's deaf!_" she whispered, as if worried that the woman would hear her.

Ash nodded as he finished his last letters on her palm. 'M-y-N-a-m-e-I-s-A-s-h' he added, 'W-h-a-t-I-s-Y-o-u-r-s-?'

'M-e-l-o-d-y'

* * *

Hidden amongst the branches of a forest that neither knew the name of, Ash and Bianca explored the surprisingly sturdy and appreciably comfortable 'tree house' that Melody had made. The deaf Aura Guardian guided the two guests around her home, showing each of them what she assumed would interest them most. For the blonde, she handed random knickknacks of beautiful colors and unknown histories, as well as pointed to various areas where the green-eyed female could make herself at home in. For the raven-haired young man, she helped him slide his hand across several surfaces and tapped differing locations, almost innately aware of how to interact with his blindness. She did her best at being their hostess, despite having no prior knowledge on how a proper one acted. It was the first time she had guests, and she treated them to it for the sole reason that one of them was like her.

Hours before the stars had sparkled brightly through the fading skies, Melody had escorted the two foreigners through the forest to her secret grounds. Along the way, she shared her story and history with Ash, who seemed to be the only one who could immediately understand her attempts at conversation. Bianca had little skill in understanding sensitive touch, universal signings, or lip reading – practically silencing any form of communication between the two of them. The young man, however, voluntarily translated for both: Speaking with 'hearing words' to the blonde, and mouthing and tactile tracing against her palms, back hands, and forearms to speak with her. It was a personal experience that she gladly accepted, as his sense of Aura comforted her with every touch.

Through her dumbed-down signing and painstakingly-slow tracings, she retold her entire life to the man like her. She recounted the stories of the Aura Guardians of Sinnoh's past; of how many of them were heroes and legends to the people of the region. Their greatest feats and lovable histories were shared with the two. They were stories that everyone in Sinnoh had known, but Ash had mentioned that they knew nothing of them. And if nothing of the legends were known, then the man that had raised her would have meant nothing to them either.

Melody owed her life to a man named Riley, the last Aura Guardian of Sinnoh.

As an Aura Guardian within an Empire-owned region, Riley was marked for execution. He eluded extinction by escaping into the Orange Archipelago. From there, he disappeared into a life of privacy and solitude, seeking to retire his old renown and replace it with quiet days and relaxed nights. However, his undeniable reputation had soon revealed his identity to the region's population, quickly betraying his whereabouts to his chasers.

In days, the Empire forces had quickly surrounded and embedded themselves into the island region, searching for him while scouting the lands for a future takeover. And in days, the people of the Archipelago fought back in an attempt to drive the foreign oppressors away. And it had only taken the Rocket Empire three days to crush and eliminate all who had opposed them within the small island communities.

The decimation of the comparably small region's population had been Riley's fault and direct responsibility – his timidity and selfishness had cost the lives of hundreds, and perhaps unknown thousands. And it had been a crime he would have gladly paid for with his life, if it weren't for the small girl that would continue to suffer without his help.

Melody was only ten years old when her family had forced her and her sister to run from their home. The Empire had begun to take their assault to the residential areas, causing several civilians to flee, and encouraging several more to stand and defend their homes. Her parents and grandparents were part of the brave and foolish latter. In the chaos that followed the assault, she had lost her sister, and soon lost her consciousness when a nearby explosion had slammed her head into something she hadn't seen.

It was there, lying in the crumbling ruins of her destroyed neighborhood, that Riley had found her, and rescued her from a war that continued to escalate.

Rested and finally recovered under the watch of a refugee doctor, the orphaned girl named Melody was pronounced permanently deaf, a misfortune caused from a fracture. Her handicap further weighed guilt on the Aura Guardian's shoulders. Guilt he had used to push himself forward. Riley had rid of his former plan to end his life in the battlefield, and instead dedicated it to caring for the girl who symbolized everything he had harmed with his cowardice.

Through the protection, teaching, and nurturing of Melody, Riley began to pay the debt that he had owed the world. His actions would never bring back what was lost in his foolishness, and they would never make up for the devastation caused by his mistake, yet it was for a brighter future that he continued in his efforts: Melody would be the one to replace him, to complete the task of an Aura Guardian that he had been too self-centered to have fully realized. It would be his gift for her – to give her everything he had been too weak to grasp. It would be his gift to the world – to give them the Guardian that they needed, to replace the one that failed them.

However, the small girl from the Orange Islands had no innate connection to Aura. Despite the countless lessons and trainings Riley had pushed her through within the following year – no sense of Aura was felt or filled within her. 'Aura Guardians are chosen, not made.' were the words Melody had often seen him mouthing to himself, 'I can only hope that the world chooses you someday.'

Riley's high hopes for and impossible expectations from her would have been considered harsh and selfish by others – and even the blond-haired woman Bianca believed it to be the case – but Ash had understood that Melody had gladly accepted the standards she was given. With or without Aura, Melody assented to her new future with Riley – wanting nothing more than to help those that had no power to protect themselves… to repair the world for what it had lost, rather than demand vengeance of her own losses. In affirmation, the two of them had returned to the Guardian's home region of Sinnoh and continued their training and protection duties.

In time, her master, friend, brother figure, and inspiration had finally paid his debt in full. His concluding payment was made when he single-handedly protected Valor Lake from the forces of the Rocket Empire. A Legendary Pokémon rested within the lake's depths, one that demanded the last Aura Guardian of Sinnoh to give up his life for its safety. In his final breath of sacrifice, Riley had permanently pushed back the invading Empire soldiers through the creation of a colossal Aura Barrier – sealing all from entering the lake's vicinity. An Aura Barrier that held for years. An Aura Barrier that still held to this day.

It was a miraculous feat that continued to express its magnificence with every passing season: The 'Valor Lights', what the continuous Aura Barrier had been named by the public, had become a popular tourist destination in the Sinnoh region – though its history and meaning was lost, only now advertised as a 'natural occurrence' by the science communities around it.

And it was the 'Valor Lights' where Melody made her tree-top home to watch over. Its eternal glow blanketed the immediate woods surrounding it, and its azure light twinkled in the distant view from the female Guardian's window. It was one of the first things that Melody had pointed for Bianca to see, and the only thing she dearly wished to show her new Guardian friend. For her, it was more than just a symbol: it was a comfort, and it was a reminder. A comfort in knowing that a difference could be made in the world by a determined individual… A reminder of the day she was finally 'chosen' to become an Aura Guardian…

In her unheard cries and screams of agony in Riley's death, the capability of controlling Aura unlocked within her. Unlike Riley and any of the Guardians she was told the stories of, however: the Aura inside her was different. Her Aura controlled the sense of time, rather than becoming a tangible force. She always assumed that it was because of her desire to always halt, turn back, and rush time that had made her abilities different – but without Riley, she could have never confirmed the validity of such a conclusion. All that she had grown to know from the change was that she was finally an Aura Guardian, and that she now had the power to take the fight to the Rocket Empire.

Or so she thought.

Within the weeks that proceeded from Riley's sacrifice, Melody's lone crusade against the Empire had only revealed that their influence and force were far greater than she could have imagined. People and pokémon that she had thought were victims – were often bait to lure her out of hiding. Civilians and Resistance groups that she had thought were allies – were constantly wary of her interference, spooked by the propaganda spread by those who wished to tarnish her reputation. And the manpower and technology that the Empire boasted were far too frightening and improbable for her to have handled on her own.

Almost accepting defeat, Melody had reserved her powers to taking out small groups of Empire soldiers and anonymously helping those in minor troubles. As time passed, she had become a ghost and a myth – holding as much mystery as the abandoned city of Hearthome through her unseen and unheard involvements. The secluded years that followed had only assured her that her life would be spent as an unknown figure of fear and death for the forces of the Empire. It wasn't the life she had wanted, but the one she had quietly accepted.

That was, until she had lip-read a passing scouting group earlier that day. In their heard-words, they seemed to have spoken of a captured Aura Guardian. _The last Aura Guardian of Sinnoh…_ It was news that sent shocks and tremors throughout her system, as she had been completely sure that it was a title that she currently held and no one else. The news was enough to force her out of hiding. And it was news she determined was worth risking her life over. Stepping away from her shadowed forests, Melody had foolishly charged into the base the 'last Aura Guardian of Sinnoh' had been imprisoned in.

And it was there where she had found, guided, and helped Ash… the last male Aura Guardian of the Sinnoh region.

Melody watched in curiosity as Ash brushed his fingers across one wall to the other, possibly in an attempt to memorize how large her hideout was. He was… _interesting_ – the center of her attention and thoughts. There was 'something about him' that she found all too fascinating to ignore.

As an Aura Guardian 'chosen' by the world and Fate itself, she couldn't deny the fact that the young man seemed too similar to her in circumstances: Other than being a Guardian himself, he too was physically handicapped yet remained mostly independent despite it, and far more interesting to her was the fact that he too wasn't from the Sinnoh region yet ended up becoming one of its saviors.

Her memory recalled the events of weeks previous. Reports and rumors of a group travelling across Sinnoh had surfaced then – each of them describing epic battles against the Empire forces and unique sightings and experiences held within each town and city they had rested in. From their wavering descriptions, Melody had only assumed that the Empire was confusing the efforts of the Resistance, Operation Beta, and her own with one another. Further encouraging that belief: Many of the reports and rumors had often changed the names and people involved in the events. One day the blame would be placed on the Resistance, the next on her, and the next on the members of Operation Beta. Far too many conflicting details shattered against one another, as no one could ever fully identify who this group was or how many of them there were.

In hindsight, the confused reports now made sense to her. The Guardian named 'A-s-h' was responsible. He was fulfilling his role as an Aura Guardian; protecting the people most in need. And unlike herself, he was able to accomplish it without ending the life of a single soldier, Agent, or Hunter. A seemingly impossible feat… yet it was accomplished by a young, blind man. Undeniable in that fact alone, Ash was impressive. _Inspiring._

"Ash!" she sounded with terrible effort. It had been years since she had lost her hearing, with unpracticed time removing any clear memory of how to make her 'heard words' clear in pronunciation and tone like she used to. But she wanted to try, to be able to speak to Ash like how he would try to speak to her. His clumsy attempts at tactile traces had assured her that even her voiced words didn't require immediate perfection, encouraging her to try without embarrassed hesitation or nervous doubt.

A smile crossed her face as Ash turned her way. He was blind – and had no reason to face towards the direction of sound, but he had done so anyways to show that she had his attention. It was a considerate sign of communication, one that revealed that she had voiced his name clearly enough.

She quickly walked towards him and began to write letters into his palm with her fingertips. Her pace was slower than she wanted it to be, as she was far too excited to complete what she had been meaning to ask: 'Y-o-u-S-t-a-y-?' Her fingers trembled, realizing how her life could change on any answer he would give. 'Y-o-u-H-e-l-p-M-e-?'

…

'I-C-a-n-n-o-t'

Her hand balled into a fist, terrified of what he had just written on her skin. Melody had known that he could very well have refused her offer before she even asked it… but her hopes and desires had latched on too strong.

'I-N-o-W-a-n-t-B-e-A-l-o-n-e'

She frowned. It wasn't like herself to be selfish in her requests. And it was very unlike herself to use pity in order to gain what she desired. _But I no want be alone…_

'C-o-m-e-W-i-t-h-U-s-?' Her skin tingled in response to what he had written on her forearm. She never considered leaving her 'territory' as an option, and she hadn't traveled far throughout the rest of Sinnoh to have confidence in whatever destination the young man decided to go to. Time as a myth and a boogeyman had made her find comfort and safety in her actions and dangerous lifestyle. To travel with him would almost ensure that her threatening façade would fade. To travel with him would almost ensure risking her life more than she had ever had to…

_But same thing scared Riley. I no want be scared._

Ash's fingers continued to write across her forearm. His letters were becoming hard to read, as her forearm wasn't as restoratively sensitive as her palm. Sliding his fingers to her opened palm, she tapped him in order to ask him to repeat. He nodded and began writing again, 'W-e-H-a-v-e-A-n-I-m-p-o-r-t-a-n-t-M-i-s-s-i-o-n'

Her head tilted at the curious word 'An'. In her unspoken shorthand, the word was an almost useless addition to communicated words. It gave her a reminder that 'heard words' had a different culture and sense to them, one that she needed to remember if she wanted to speak with him clearly and understandably.

'W-e-N-e-e-d-Y-o-u-r-H-e-l-p' he continued to write, 'I-N-e-e-d-Y-o-u-r-H-e-l-p'

'H-e-l-p-W-h-a-t-?-W-h-a-t-Y-o-u-D-o-?'

'I-t-I-s-A-L-o-n-g-A-n-d-U-n-b-e-l-i-e-v-a-b-l-e-S-t-o-r-y'

'I-H-a-v-e-T-i-m-e' she responded with a shake of her head, 'I-T-r-u-s-t-Y-o-u-r-T-r-u-t-h'

…

The male Aura Guardian opened his mouth slightly and sat to the floor. Melody shook her head again and pointed towards the small couch. With a nudge, she helped him off his feet and sat the two of them down on its cushions. Turning towards the still-distracted blonde, she voiced, "Banca!"

"Hm? Oh. Actually, it's 'Bianca'. Like Bee-anca." she responded with a cheerful smile.

Melody didn't recognize half the words she had mouthed, but carelessly assumed that the blonde was complimenting her collection of seashells. "Thank. Coffee?" she requested as she pointed towards the tiny kitchen that she had built on the side of the tree house.

"…Hm?"

The deaf Guardian motioned invisible actions, pretending to sip from a cup and pointing at all three of them. "Make coffee? Ples?"

"O-Oh! Coffee! I'm not actually very good at making coff–"

"Thank." Melody chimed and turned back towards Ash, tracing letters across his palm.

"…Okay. Two coffees it is then! Wait." Bianca stared at the curious oven that sat at the corner of the kitchen. There were no plugs or obvious signs on how it was powered. Yet a kettle sat readily on one of its burners. "How do you…? Erm… I'm going to press random things until I figure it out, okay?"

…

She didn't answer.

"I'll take that as an okay."

* * *

The early morning sun began to rise. Its soft glow swirled with the distant blue, emanating fantastic colors and sprinkling them into the tree house's windows and unseen cracks. All around the light danced slowly and spun in captivating patterns across the floor and walls. It was an entrancing event that would happen every few weeks within a year in Melody's home. And it was an event she always looked forward to viewing.

Today, however, she found no interest in it.

Her eyes stared curiously at her hands, focusing on the lines and invisible wrinkles that marked their skin. She pondered about how much time had affected her body, and whether time's changes would matter if it was all just an illusion…

She hadn't slept. Despite having no coffee the night before, thanks to Bianca's cataclysmic tries of getting her pseudonatural oven to 'work', Melody didn't feel a hint of tiredness in her body or mind. She couldn't feel anything, think anything, except for the stories that Ash had told her in the fading hours of the darkness.

The male Guardian had done his best to stay vague and secretive in his descriptions of what had occurred before Melody had rescued them, but it was far too easy for her to tell when she wasn't given the complete truth. And so she pushed continuously, begging him to be completely honest with her, just as she had been with him. He had warned her that the truth wasn't easy to believe or understand, but she didn't care. She wanted the truth. She wanted to know everything about the man that had renewed her hope and pride in being an Aura Guardian.

Dropping her hand to the floor and rolling it against the wooden surface in apathetic playfulness, Melody exhaled… She cared now.

Everything he had revealed wasn't easy to believe or understand, and she realized only in hindsight that she should have never pushed. Her mind and heart weren't ready for what they were told. _Life before this life…? What matter here if only Empire made?_ The question clawed at her being, and many more struck at her resolve. They were questions she wanted to ask Ash, but his previous injuries from the fight against Hunters had made him too tired to remain awake after he had completed his stories. She let him rest, setting him beside his already sleeping friend on her bed. Despite her bewildered state, she held true to her kindness as a hostess and offered them her sleeping area, while she took the couch for herself.

She breathed in, taking in the physical and Aura scent left behind where Ash had sat. It was familiar. It had always been familiar, despite having only met him recently. _We met before… We helped Lugia. We saved world._ Flashes of distant memories, too foggy to be of any clear understanding, swarmed within her mind. They were memories of a different time, a different world; of a life she had led differently. A life where she had met Ash only by chance. _No. By Fate. Like this life._

Her eyes drifted, resting on the sight of the young man named Ash 'K-e-t-c-h-u-m'. The blind Guardian was being held like a teddiursa doll by the tall blonde that had slept underneath him. Both were in deep slumber, completely unaware of the fantastic light show that swirled around them. The scene was heart-warming. Melody had never seen such a perfectly peaceful scene in her life. It made her slightly envious towards the blonde. _Very lucky…_

Melody smiled. _Luck and Fate not same._

In her deep thoughts, she had come to a realization: Her role as an Aura Guardian hadn't changed. As Ash had been chosen time and time again, in different lives, in different worlds, to protect and save those who needed him – she had now held the same responsibility. _Fate chose us to guard world, guide world. I thankful. Blessing enough in life. Greater still in love._

Love was what Melody defined as the reason for the Aura Guardians' existence. To protect, teach, and nurture all life was an Aura Guardian's purpose. And in her heart, she knew they had done so not out of duty – but out of love. Riley had taught her that the Guardian's destiny was determined by the will of the world… It was a destiny that they could have refused at any moment of their life. Becoming an Aura Guardian never made one different from the rest, they were as human or as pokémon as any other creature out there – with their own wants and desires. Yet what made them truly accept their role as a Guardian was their love.

They owed nothing to the world. The world's requests and demands meant nothing to them as much as they meant nothing to anyone else. _Only people with enough love accept becoming Guardian. I love enough. Ash love enough. He protects world. World take too much from him. But he still protects. I selfish not to protect world with him._

'We protect world together.' she signed quietly to herself, 'I go with you.'

Finally having found an answer to her troubled thoughts, Melody smiled and slowly let her eyelids close. She finally felt tired, and welcomed the coming sleep.

Her eyes suddenly widened. An insignificant light was flashing beside one of her cabinets. _Warning signal. Intruder._

Leaping to her feet, she grabbed her camouflage cloak and wrapped herself in its disguising patterns. With a noiseless stride, she slid along her wall and peeked through one of her home's small windows. Her blue eyes sharpened at the sight of a group of trespassers searching her grounds. She gave one last look towards Ash and Bianca, ensuring they still slept safely out of view, before exiting her tree house in silence.

Melody followed several branch lines and vine bridges she had masterfully connected together. Acting as a network of natural-looking paths, she used them to watch over the intruders without revealing her presence. She had scanned the forest ground below several times before concluding that there were four in total: _Three owned pokémon. One human. No Empire uniform…_

The human, a pink-haired woman who held an impressive physique of compacted muscles, began to speak. She seemed to be speaking to no one but herself, a common trait for those who spoke with 'heard words'. A trait that was more than beneficial for Melody's lip reading skill.

'Empire. Base. Soldiers. Hunters. Escaped. Or. Rescued.' were words Melody immediately recognized.

'Ash.' was the one that caught her attention.

_Why she speak about Ash? Who she?_ Melody's thoughts recalled Ash's stories, noting that he had several companions that he was separated from. One of them was a fighter with pink hair. _She 'M-a-y-l-e-n-e'?_

The female's identity encouraged Melody to drop from the tree tops in order to introduce herself… However, an alarming 'scent' was found when she touched the forest floor. The woman she had thought to be Maylene quickly formed into a combat stance at her appearance, which only added to Melody's growing concern of misidentification. _She not Maylene._

A dark stench of 'nothingness' flowed from inside the intruder's belly. It was a smell that Melody could never mistake. _Hunter Scent._

The female Aura Guardian fired several waves of blue energy around her, locking the owned pokémon in place before they could be used against her. Her aggressive defense forced the human intruder into an attack. Before the attack could reach her, Melody trapped the woman in a bubble of Aura. _Even if Hunter, you still slave to time._

Circling her prey, the cloaked Guardian observed the Hunter curiously, wondering why she was dressed so 'differently'. _Hunters dress normal to hide self. Why this Hunter dress like strange hobo?_ Wearing a black and blue one piece that was covered in various stains and tear marks, as well as a pair of dirtied white pants with a faded pink side stripe design, the Hunter caught inside her Stop Bubble didn't seem to care to hide her uniqueness. With noticeable pink hair and eyes and uncovered feet, the female naturally stood out far more than blended in. _Empire desperate if make her Hunter._

Melody exhaled slowly and pressed her hands against the orb of light. _I sorry, Ash. You stop people without ending life. But Hunters too dangerous to let live. I end this one to protect you._ She concentrated her will, attempting to fast-forward the time trapped inside the bubble in order to force all life within it to reach the point of decay.

She bit her lip in frustration as she watched only the grass below the Hunter's feet wither away with time. _What? Why…?_ Her muscles stiffened and added more of her will into the bubble. Several lifecycles of bladed grass had passed, yet the woman remained perfectly still in time.

The female Guardian fell to her knees, straining terribly from her Aura exhaustion. Her body had wanted to faint on her first strike against the intruders due to her lack of sleep, but her will kept had kept her standing. However, as her will was beginning to drain completely, as her hair began to fade to a soft white at her use of every ounce Aura left inside her, she was beginning to lose consciousness. _No…_

She exhaled and let go of her control. The waves and bubble of energies remained on the human and three pokémon, yet the Guardian could do no more than keep them trapped in slowed time. Pushing herself back to her feet, she observed the intruders in irritated curiosity. _How I rid them without time? Knife… I not like knife. But must._

Melody turned and walked towards the tree that led to her home.

She froze when a tap was felt on her shoulder. Quickly spinning to face whoever had tapped her, Melody recoiled at the sight of the Hunter smirking at her. The Hunter was speaking, 'Fancy trick. But I prefer fair fights.'

A fist connected with her jaw, tossing the Guardian off her feet and throwing her body against the ground. _H-How she…?_ With an unheard grunt, Melody rolled to her side and entrapped the Hunter in a new bubble. The bubble quickly shattered as the pink-haired foe pushed her sense of nothingness outwards. _N-No!_

Climbing quickly off the ground and running for cover, Melody began to panic. _She stronger than other Hunters. Can use scent to stop Aura! How I stop that?!_ She quickly ducked as a bare foot smashed against the bark of the tree she was hiding behind. Instinctively, she fired several traces of blue energy into the Hunter – slowing her down by mere seconds.

Melody launched herself away and attempted to crush the Hunter with various orbs, waves, and lances of time-controlling energies. Each one only affected her opponent by the slightest degree before vanishing and dispersing into the dark void that constituted as the woman's 'scent'. _She Elite. Must be. Elite Hunter. Why in Sinnoh?! Ash that big trouble to Empire?_

…

_Then I protect Ash with life._ Melody nodded to herself. She stood firm and faced her enemy with determined eyes. _If Ash chosen by Fate and Time to protect world. Then I chosen to protect him._

Her opponent noticed her quiet resolution and seemed to smile at the challenge. 'Make this interesting for me. I need to let some stress out.' she spoke with heard-words. With a furious charge, the pink-haired assailant threw another kick meant for Melody's chest.

Breathing out, the Aura Guardian slowed the strike with a concentrated shield of light. She spread the light across her body, enveloping her in its blue glow. The Hunter continued to speak, possibly mocking the Guardian's futile attempts at Aura. Melody didn't bother to lip read her words. She only cared to complete her final job. Her hair shriveled thin and whitened into the color of pure snow. Her sense of self began to fade and waver as she began to dig into the deepest pits of her reserve.

'No matter how much the world forgets… Time will always make them remember.'

Riley's mouthed words echoed in her memories. They were words that always encouraged her to move forward, look back, and wait with time. And they were the words that allowed her to influence even those who remained unaffected by age. _You ignore my actions, Hunter. But you never ignore my time!_

Using the last traces of her own sense of time, Melody pushed her control outwards and reached deep into the void. The Hunter was screaming; her vocal agony was loud enough to vibrate the very air. It was a terrifying feeling that nearly broke the Guardian's focus. _No! You obey time, monster!_ Melody roared back and began to slow the connection between their reality and the Hunter. _IF YOU NOT OBEY TIME, WORLD MOVE FORWARD WITHOUT YOU!_

**STOP**

A force of will made physical knocked the Guardian away from her opponent. The world around her began to turn black, her fatigued consciousness finally betraying her. _No… Ash…_

Standing above her, a man of raven hair and impossibly powerful energy stared at her with curiosity. His face was familiar, yet his age didn't match his identity. _Man inside Ash… Sato… Why he stop… me?_ Melody fainted, her will at last conceding to her exhaustion.

* * *

"_Can I please just talk to Ash already?_" Maylene growled as she grabbed another biscuit from the jar and quickly ate it.

"U-Um… You probably shouldn't eat those." Bianca watched nervously as the fighter continued to look through the small kitchen. "Y-You have to ask her first. It's rude not to."

"She's not awake."

"But you were the one that knocked her out. So… that's even more of a reason not to take her stuff. That's just mean."

"No. I WANTED to knock her out. Sato was the one who knocked her out. Blame him. And I think it was pretty _mean and rude_ of her to just attack me out of nowhere."

"Technically, she knocked herself out." Sato defended. He patched the last wounds he found on Buizel and turned his attention to Sceptile. "All I did was push her away from you. She could have killed you if I didn't, so you're welcome."

Maylene slammed the oven shut and glared at the male Aura Guardian. "I ain't going to thank you for restraining your friend. Great _friend_, by the way! Just goes off and kills any stranger in the woods, huh?"

"She thought you were –"

"Yeah, yeah! A Hunter! I know. You only said it like a million times. And nice job not letting her know that one of your friends happened to have the same traits as them. Real helpful. No confusion or trouble caused by it whatsoever!"

"I said I was sorry."

"No, you said you were sorry that she tried killing me! You never said sorry for not letting her know something important about your _GIRLFRIEND_."

"I thought you said I wasn't your boyfriend. Kept calling me 'oldie', remember?"

"I'm talking to Ash, not you, _oldie_. He can hear me in there, can't he?" the fighter sighed in irritation. Walking towards the couch, she moved aside Bianca, wanting to sit closer to where Sato was standing. "Seriously though, can't you let me talk to him? Privately. Please?"

Sato shrugged. "I never get a chance to just hang out and get some fresh air, do I? _It's practically the first time I've woken up somewhere that wasn't dark or underground, and suddenly I'm a bother… _Fine, fine. Just be sure to let me know when I can share the body again. I'm tired of sleeping."

Maylene raised her brow. "Tired of sleeping? How does that even work?"

Sato shrugged again, slowly inhaling. As he exhaled, his form shortened and his eyes blanked. Returning Ash back to the fore, the young man yawned and scratched at his hair. "_Hm? Whuss going on?_" he mumbled, half-asleep.

"Green-eyes, go with the pokémon into whats-her-face's bedroom and close the door behind you."

Bianca tilted her head and exchanged strange looks with Machoke, Sceptile, and Buizel. "Hm? Why?"

"Just do me that favor, please. I promise I won't go eating more things around here."

"O-Okay…" She turned to leave, the pokémon following her with shared curiosity. Before she reached the bedroom, a poké ball bounced onto the floor in front of her. "Huh?"

"That's your pignite. You left him at Hearthome."

The blond-haired Trainer's eyes lit up, ready to hug the fighter for the unexpected reunion. She was stopped before she could even start: "If you want to thank me, go inside the bedroom now. And make sure crazy girl doesn't try to leave it either."

Bianca nodded. "Yes, of course! Thank you _so_ much, Maylene! You don't know how –"

"NOW."

Bianca rushed the last of the pokémon inside and closed the door immediately.

…

"Hey…" Ash waved slightly, smiling softly. He was finally aware of what had happened in his sleep and was slowly adjusting to the situation. "I'm glad you're okay." The adjustment was awkward.

…

"…_yell at me._"

"Huh?"

"Yell at me." Maylene repeated. "_Please._"

"Wh-What do you mean?"

Her brows furrowed as she glared into the Empathic's faded eyes. "Be angry at me. Tell me I was being stupid. Tell me that I _am_ stupid. Call me irresponsible. Selfish. Anything. Tell me that you're upset with me. That you want to break up with me."

"What?"Ash flinched. The fighter's normally unclear emotions had solidified, sharpened. Her words matched her feelings, showing no sign of confusion or misunderstanding. It was a strange experience for him, having never known her for being translucent. "Why would I –?"

"Ash, I've seen you argue with Angie. I've heard you yell at Gary. And I know you've shouted at Misty more than once since she first joined the group." Maylene stepped forward, challenging in posture, but weakening in expression. "Don't treat me any different. Just because I'm your girlfriend, doesn't mean I should get any special treatment. In fact, you _need_ to be tougher on me, Ash. You shouldn't let me get away with anything."

"But… you haven't done anything wrong."

Her fist slammed into the wall, denting its wooden frame. "That's crap. You know that's crap. I've treated every group meeting we've had as a joke. I've endangered the rest of the team on more than one occasion due to my stubbornness. I take your attention away from more important matters. I don't take our missions seriously enough, and I hardly treat you like a proper leader. You've scolded Anj for much less than that. So don't say I haven't done anything wrong. That's complete crap."

Ash's curious face turned sober. It was the reaction that the fighter had been waiting for, though the words that left his lips were far less wanted, "I don't yell at you _because_ you're different."

"I thought I just told you not to treat me differently!"

"I treat everyone differently, Maylene." his voice was cold, calculated, and far closer to the sense of seriousness that she had sought, "You, Angie, Misty, Gary, everyone. I treat all of you differently because you're all different. I don't need to yell at _you_ because you discipline yourself enough. You joke around a lot in our meetings, but you're only doing it so that we never take ourselves too seriously. You risk our lives with your stubbornness because you're concerned of how we handle things in this team. You don't take away my attention from more important things, because you're just as important as anything else. And other people might think you don't see our missions as crucial or don't treat me right, but I know when an emergency comes up: you never allow room for mistakes and you follow orders to the letter. You care, Maylene. That's why you do the things you do. I don't need to drill any lessons into your thick skull, because your skull isn't as thick as you think it is."

"_You almost had me believing you, Ash._" she growled, gritting her teeth as she held back emotions she wasn't ready to admit yet. "But you made a mistake on that last trait: That mission we just had? Our Thinker duty? An _emergency_ came up when Hunters got involved. And I allowed _plenty_ of room for mistakes. You were kidnapped for that reason."

"That's not fair. Those were Hunters. We're never ready for them. You can't blame yourself –"

"But I CAN blame myself, Ash! I blamed myself every second that passed by when I couldn't find you! _When I couldn't save you…_" Maylene turned away, wiping away the tears that ran down her cheeks. She sniffed hard, trying to stop them. "_I'm your girlfriend, Ash. Every girl in this team would kill to have the spot I'm in. And I didn't even take that seriously. They all deserve you more than I do, and I just shrugged my shoulders and said 'too late' to them like it was just some stupid game…_

"Well look at what this stupid little game gambled: your life. The Empire could have killed you, Ash. I didn't reach the base that girl saved you from until they were already fixing the damages she caused! And I don't even know where the others are right now. I saw some of them flying towards Pastoria City. Even I thought you'd end up there. If I wasn't on the ground, I may have never found out where they took you." She shook her head, staring at Ash in disappointment. "_Don't you get it?_ If it weren't for that girl: None of us would have found you until it was too late. You'd just be another Aura Guardian that the Empire gets to brag about executing. And it would have been no one's fault but mine. Your girlfriend. The one who should have no reason to fail you. I should have been paying attention to you in that fight with the Hunters. I should have been protecting you! _Not getting excited over some stupid brawl…_"

…

His hand rose, reaching out, asking for her to come closer.

She knocked away the gesture. "You should mean more to me than a fight. _You… mean everything to everyone but me._ So yell at me. Hate me. Think less of me. I'm a terrible partner for you. I know that. Everyone knows that. _I… I need to grow up before I deserve someone like you._ So break up with me. Choose someone who would never take their eyes off of you. And for crying out loud, **just hit me already!**"

His fist struck her across the cheek, curiously catching her off guard. The sensation of pain melding with her current state of mind caused more tears to flow. It had been what she wanted, but feared to actually gain. She straightened herself, ready to beg for another hit. Her heart wanted to be punished, enjoying the misery that began to fill her. "Agai–"

A kiss pressed against her lips.

Her heart raced and her mind silenced into blank thoughts. A hand set itself against her waist. Another pressed at her from behind. Ash was kissing her. For the first time, he had done it on his own free will. The realization made her slowly shatter. Muffled cries moaned through her covered mouth as Ash continued his loving caress. 'I don't deserve this. I don't deserve you.' she tried her best to say the words, but his lips took them from her.

She pushed at him, asking him to stop, demanding him to 'get away'. But his embrace only held tighter. Her knees buckled, dropping her to a shorter height as she latched onto him desperately. She pulled them both to the floor clumsily, returning his kiss with her own. In all her thoughts, Maylene wanted nothing more than to break free and yell at Ash for his too-soft reactions. In all her heart, she desired nothing more than to ask him to strike her again, and again. Yet in all her soul, she yearned to stay. She urged him to 'keep going'. She hungered for his every touch and caring warmth.

"**I love you**." she finally pulled free to gasp.

They were words that were unfamiliar on her tongue. They had a different 'taste' to them than anything she had ever spat out. Just the mention of their syllables had made her heart pump harder and caused her face to flush a strange shade of pink. She was atop him, her body dominating over his, yet she felt weak… vulnerable. Revealing her innermost, confused, and bewildered emotions into the simple, verbal phrase expressed far more than she ever thought could be shown.

Her eyes watered, further flustering her ideas of what was happening. The tears fell and she instinctively smiled. "I – I love you." she repeated. It wasn't what she wanted to say, but it had naturally come out. Hearing herself echo the three words swirled a sensation inside her chest. She laughed at the feeling, tickled as she felt it peak whenever she stared into Ash's smile. "I love you, Ash Ketchum. I…"

"I love you too, Maylene."

His words were far more foreign to her ears than her own. She collapsed onto him, letting her body absorb the shock that ran through her system. Senses wandering to their surroundings, she began to feel numb and distant. The nothingness inside her crawled into her emotions and thoughts. It was her defense. Her way of 'never letting anything get too close.' But his hand prevented her from completing it. Brushing against her shoulder, the gesture of partnership sent tingles through her veins, closing away the nothingness and accepting his intimacy.

"…_I don't deserve you._" she whispered weakly. "_But I want to. I want to be someone worth those words you said to me. But right now, I'm not._" Her head pressed against his chest; counting every heartbeat and letting hers synchronize with its pulse. "You _are_ a one in a million, Ash. I found that out when I lost you. And here… _in your arms?_ I found out you're more than that. If you go, there won't be anyone else like you. And I almost made sure that you would never come back to me. To anyone. I'm sorry, Ash. I'm sorry I couldn't protect you."

"It's okay…" He wrapped his hands around her head, cradling it gently. Her hair's scent and honest emotions gave him a comforting sense of familiarity that he had never felt. At this moment, Maylene was depending on him, on his words, on his touch. And he never wanted to betray her fragile trust. "…It was my fault too. We're partners after all, right?"

"_I… want us to be…_"

"Then it was my fault too. We should have stuck together."

…

"_Sato…_" Ramie whispered as she latched onto his shoulders.

"Yeah, Amy?" Sato responded, slowly massaging her back with his fingers.

"_I always want to be your partner._"

"I always want to be your partner too, Amy."

"…_Would you have restarted the world for me?_"

"I did." He smiled, holding her closer. "Don't you ever think I did it without you in mind."

"_But what if we never met again? What if I never found you in the new world?_"

Sato pressed his hand against her chin, gently turning her to face him. His dark hazel eyes stared into her golden ones, peering into what made them who they were. Into what made them unmistakable from all else that had existed. "How could you not? When you never forgot me?"

"_I… I still don't know what you mean by that, Sato._"

"I'll give you a hint." Grappling her shoulder, he rolled the two of them over, replacing her from the dominant position. Before she could speak, he forced a kiss on her lips. He collapsed onto her, pressing his body against hers. His lips broke away, only to latch on again with a caress differing in angles and eagerness. As her arm twitched in pleasured response, he instinctively pinned them down, continuing his passionate show of selfish affection.

"Ash?"

The two broke apart in panic and rolled away from one another.

"_OW!_" The table thumped off the ground. Pained grumbles continued as the body underneath it adjusted its position. With a groan, Ash pulled himself off the floor and grinned nervously at their sudden visitor. "H-Hey, Melody!"

Maylene pushed herself into a sitting position and glared at the female Guardian. "And what the heck are you doing out here?" She shot a venomous look at the other female standing next to her. "Bianca! I thought I said no one leaves the room!"

The blonde had her eyes covered poorly with her hands. Her pinked face revealed her obvious sighting of the couple's intimate moment. "_I – I t-tried to stop her. But she wouldn't listen. Erm, not literally listen. Or maybe literally. I don't know._"

Sighing, the fighter turned away from her and faced Melody. "Can we help you?" she asked as she cleared her throat, irritated.

Melody stiffened and frowned. "Who she, Ash?"

The male Guardian approached her and began to trace letters into her palm.

Maylene raised her brow at the scene. "Um… What are you doing?"

Ash answered without turning away from his silent conversation, "Melody's deaf."

The fighter was taken aback by the simple response. "She is? I was beating up on some deaf girl? …Well now I feel terrible."

"But… you beat up Ash all the time." Bianca pointed out, still covering her eyes. "And he's blind."

"He's also an Empathic."

"And Melody's an Aura Protector."

"You mean 'Guardian'?"

"R-Right. Guardian."

Maylene snickered and pulled Bianca's hands away from her eyes. "Calm down, Greeny. The scene's over."

"Oh." The blond-haired female laughed nervously and tried to shake off her blush. "S-Sorry about that."

Maylene snickered again at her adorable innocence and eyed Melody. "So she's an Aura Guardian, huh? Never seen an Aura Guardian do what she did."

"Ash says that she can use her Aura to control time, but can't do stuff like Aura Spheres."

"Control time, huh? That's pretty nifty. So how did you meet –" Before the fighter completed her question, the female Guardian sprinted towards her and grabbed her hands. "What-What's up?"

Melody folded her hands over Maylene's and bowed several times.

"She told me to tell you that she's very sorry." Ash spoke, relaying the message he was given just seconds before. "She had no idea who you were. And that she… _er…_ would have never even threatened you if she had known you were my girlfriend."

"Didn't even bother to tell her that you had a girlfriend?" The fighter gave him an amused look. "Don't want me to ruin your chances with meeting new girls?"

"I-It's not like that! I told her I have a girlfriend! She just… assumed it was Bianca."

"_WH-WHAT?_" Bianca's eyes widened as her face lit a bright red. She laughed nervously and slowly shuffled backwards into the bedroom. "E-Excuse me." The door closed quietly.

"…I think she's got a thing for ya', Ash." Maylene hinted with a teasing grin.

Before he could respond, Ash was pulled in by Melody and set beside Maylene. The female Guardian took a step back and stared at the two. Nodding, she took Ash's hand and began to write. He remained silent as she traced letter after letter across his palm. Her traces were done with hurry, but made wide, ensuring that her letters were as clear as she could make them in the shortest amount of time. After several words were finished, she quickly tapped Ash's lip: her sign to tell him when to begin translating.

"She says that Aura Guardians are chosen by Fate because of the love they have to…" he paused, waiting for more words to be written before moving forward again, "…offer the world. With that love: they protect and care for all those around them. And… because of that, an Aura Guardian who is… bonded to… another individual in the purest form of love, dedicates themselves to the – _oh sorry, I mean 'their'_ – their cause far more than any other. Knowing that Ash, _er_ – Knowing that _**I**_ have chosen you as my wif– _**GIRLFRIEND**_, Melody promises… to dedicate her life to our protection and care. Our bond is sacred and can only benefit the world. Melody will ensure that it remains untainted and unharmed by any who seek to hinder it."

The female Guardian smiled at the two of them, bowing again. She folded the couple's hands together and pressed her own hand to her heart, nodding in affirmation.

…

Maylene nudged Ash with her shoulder. "_So wait, did she just hitch us or something?_"

"N-No." He nudged back. "And you don't have to whisper. She can't hear you."

"Well, what just happened?"

"She just vowed to be our personal protector. I think. To protect our relationship."

"…Talk about being a permanent third wheel."

"MAYLENE!" Ash stepped on her bare foot. "She's promising to HELP our relationship."

The fighter laughed. "Oh, so _that's_ how I get you to hit me! I just have to insult another girl!"

"_Maylene…_" he sighed. He flinched as Melody grabbed his wrist and began to write.

'W-h-a-t-T-h-i-r-d-W-h-e-e-l-?'

"…_Great, now I have to explain what a third wheel is…_" he grumbled at the fighter and prepared an apologetic response.

She snickered at his irritation. Leaning over, she watched the two handicapped individuals communicate with one another solely on touch. The interaction was mesmerizing, but a thought distracted her from staying as a silent audience, "So, uh, what's up with her calling me your 'wife'? She thinks we're married?"

"You caught that, huh?" Ash gave a nervous laugh, continuing his tactile traces. "_Er…_ She doesn't know what a 'girlfriend' is. Or 'boyfriend'. She was only taught what a wife and husband were. So… yeah, I guess in her eyes: We're married. But only because she doesn't see the difference between that and just 'dating'."

"If that's the case…" Maylene smiled mischievously, "How did it feel being married to Bianca?"

A crash was heard and felt from the bedroom.

"_S-Sorry! I got it!_" Bianca's voice muffled through the door.

Melody sighed and went to check on her room, giving a 'What's with this girl?'-expression to Ash and Maylene before heading inside.

"You love teasing Bianca, don't you?" Ash stepped on Maylene's foot again.

Maylene shrugged and kicked him to the floor, chuckling rudely as he landed on his face. "Nah, I just love pushing your buttons, hubby."


	17. Fear and Doubt

A burst of fire pierced through the smog, striking the pidgeot's wing and singeing several of its secondary coverts into blackened barbs. The large Bird Pokémon cried in stress and dove to safety. Spurts of fearsome electricity hissed after them, missing them by mere inches as the nearby steel tower absorbed the currents. _Your left!_ Another pillar of flame roared, engulfing the Flying Type and its rider. Steam erupted out; a product of the hasted liquid barriers disintegrating in the attack's heat. Despite the protection, the blaze's victims dropped quickly from the skies, landing terribly on the building's rooftop they had perched on just hours before.

_A-Are you all alright?_ Maya weakly pushed herself to her knees, watching over the emotional energies of the pokémon around her.

Staryu and Starmie confirmed their conditions, though Gary's pidgeot was unable to answer as its consciousness completely faded.

The female Empathic frowned and returned the fainted creature to its poké ball. _I'm sorry… Thank you for helping us._

"HEY PRINCESS!"

Maya's brow twitched at the nickname. It was one that she had gotten used to in her lifetime, but only from one person… _not from some girl who's pretending she's anything like her._ "What do you want, Angie?"

"WHAT? I CAN'T HEAR YOU!" the tomboy shouted as another explosion boomed in the buildings around them, "YOU HAVE TO SPEAK UP!"

"TURN YOUR HEADSET BACK ON!"

Angie grumbled as she reattached a device to her ear and began to turn its dials. "Hello? Am I on the right frequency?"

"_Yes. And don't call me 'Princess'."_ a voice hissed through the speaker, _"What did you want to say to me?"_

"I was just going to ask if you were okay."

"_Perfectly fine. Absolutely fine. Getting lit on fire is an on-and-off hobby of mine."_

"You know, you're a lot nicer in the memories."

"…_Sorry, I'm just stressed. I couldn't find Sato anywhere out there. I don't think he's anywhere near here…"_

"Oh…" Angie's heart sank deeper, hating each lacking evidence that presented itself. "Well, good job surviving that last search. Rest up." she voiced as she gave a thumbs-up in the Empathic's direction, smiling poorly.

Removing her headset, she leaned back and loosed a slow sigh.

_Ash… Where are you?_

Her head leaned over the building's edge, scanning the daunting scene far below.

Trucks and other transports unloaded more Empire forces onto the city's grounds. Several of them loosed pokémon as soon as they had landed, running into ordered positions and teams. A noticeable few were rushed into the structure's entrances, reinforcing the many that had been working their way up through the double digit floors.

"We're running out of time…"

"You're sounding like a Leanne."

The green-haired tomboy glanced to her right, finding the bandana-crowned Coordinator crouched beside her. May was watching the skies, in charge of preventing any flying opponents from reaching their position. "_May…_" Angie whispered wearily, "_If we don't find Ash soon, they'll…_"

"Now you're sounding like a Maya. And we've already got that one with us."

"_May, take this seriously. Ash is…_"

"Going to be fine." she responded with a frown, "…Come on, Anj. You're usually the one with the most optimism in the Ramies. I'm the one that's supposed to be the downer. Now everyone's being a downer and doubter… Everyone's taking my job and I'm taking your job." She faked a laugh and returned her attention to the fogged atmosphere. "We just have to keep fighting. I mean, if anything, we're distracting the Rockets while Ash is making his escape… _right?_"

"…Yeah…" Angie exhaled an unsure smile. "You're right." _I really hope you're right…_

_I hope so too…_ Maya nodded to herself and moved towards one corner of the rooftop. A female of blond hair and red frames had been waiting for her there. "Latias, I'm sorry. I couldn't find anything at the Center."

The Eon Pokémon's human form sighed. She sniffed at the air once again, an action that she had repeated every other hour, attempting to find any scent she could recognize. Ash had a familiar smell, one that she had memorized to a great degree, and one that she could find within any city he would have been located in. However, it wasn't Ash that the Hunters had captured… it was Sato.

She never cared to memorize the older man's smell. Her intuition had always prevented her from caring for it, innately convinced that only Ash mattered to her olfactory infatuation. The pressing situation that they found themselves in had made her regret listening to her instinct, despising her very-pokémon reaction. _If I knew Sato's scent, we would have found him by now…_

Maya's hand gently touched her illusionary shoulder. _Don't blame yourself. Even I couldn't find his emotional trace when we first left the base. They were gone for too long. Their trail's cold._

_Thank you for trying to cheer me up… But the sense of smell acts very differently from Empathy. No offense, but it's far more effective in finding individuals._

The blue-eyed Empathic stared at Latias curiously as the pokémon continued her descriptions of 'unique smells', apologies for 'my faults', and conjectures of 'where else they could have taken him'. While she was interested in what Latias had to say, she found herself too surprised by the pokémon's unique 'accent'. From her experience as an Empathic, having spoken and conversed with hundreds of creatures of instinct, Maya had noticed that Latias was 'far more than different' from other pokémon. The red and white creature spoke and reacted with 'human' emotions, rather than what her form and function expected from her. Maya couldn't help but feel as if she was speaking to the real Leanne, rather than just a non-human copying her in looks.

_Maya? … Maya?_

"H-Huh?" The Empathic blinked in surprise, realizing that she had just lost herself in thought. "Oh, sorry, I was thinking about something…"

_It's alright. I was just asking you if we should find a new rooftop to move to. In an hour I'd suspect that the Empire soldiers would have worked through our traps and barriers on the floor below us. We can take care of them easily with the narrow doorway, but if they decide to drill holes directly through the roof, we won't stand a chance._

"Right… But I need to know if there are any other areas we need to search in Pastoria. We need a direction to base ourselves in before we run off in any direction."

Latias nodded. _Judging by the next closest scent, I'm thinking we should head tow–_ The Eon Pokémon's human-like emotions suddenly sharpened and pointed towards the rooftop's doorway.

Maya had taken a late second to react, startled by the day-and-night difference in Latias' personality change. Snapping herself out of it, she turned towards the door and immediately warned the surrounding pokémon to target it. Pikachu, Blaziken, Politoed, and Espeon were the first ones to react – growling and readying to attack. Her fingers played with the button of a certain poké ball attached to her belt. _If worse goes to worst, I'm bringing out Gyarados. Everyone move if it comes to that._ The pokémon acknowledged quietly.

The door slammed open, causing Angie and May to yelp in surprise. Pikachu struck first, sending a Thunderbolt at the opening's center. Yellow sparks erupted the air and quickly dimmed as it ended at the doorway's empty walls.

"Huh? N-No one's in there!" Angie stuttered, still in shock. She crawled towards the door and peaked carefully through.

"NO WAIT, ANGIE!"

A uniformed figure leapt down from a hidden panel and grabbed the vulnerable female. Within seconds, the Empire Agent locked the tomboy in a hold and threatened her neck with a sharpened weapon. The movement had been too fast for anyone to react to, leaving many of them in a confused state of halted attack and static defense.

"You girls are way too easy." the Agent laughed menacingly, dragging Angie into the open and kicking the door behind her shut. The tomboy was skillfully thrown to the floor, along with the weapon… a black tulip.

Domino brushed her golden curls aside and smirked at the aggressive women and pokémon surrounding her. "If you want to get out of here alive, I better hear a 'Thank Goodness You're Here' soon."

The individuals around the former Rocket Agent dropped their stances, shocked and hesitantly relieved to find an ally.

"Dominique?" Angie's eye twitched as she rolled onto her back and found the woman who had assaulted her. "Wh-What are you doing here?"

"_Oh, I guess I'm not appreciated here._" She turned and took a step towards the door. "I'll just be going then."

"No wait! Er… Thank goodness you're here!"

She spun around and shrugged. "See? Was that so hard? Now how about a 'Thank You For Slowing Down The Soldiers'?"

"Th-Thank you… _for that?_"

"Good enough." Her purple eyes met with the tomboy's dark gold ones. "Hey scruff-head, long time no see."

Angie showed no amusement for the name. "Yeah, long time no see, ram-locks."

Domino waved away the insult and pressed a button against her hip. Clearing her throat, she spoke into a wire attached to her collar, "Sir! Agent Violet! The rooftop's empty! I repeat! The rooftop's empty! They're using decoys! They've split off into two groups. One's headed east, towards the docks. The other's headed southwest into the forest. I repeat! They're headed east and southwest! Send only the reserves to the rooftop to clear it completely. The rest need to backtrack. They've still got the skies in their control." She confirmed with grunts as the voice on the headset shouted orders. Completing its yells, she continued, "I'll be in charge of the one heading southwest, sir. Yes, sir. Send them ahead of me. I'll guide them once I get down there. I just need to check a few rooms on the lower floor first. No sir, I can manage this search. Yes sir. Of course. Don't worry, sir. Emperor protect us."

Clearing her throat again, the former Agent straightened her back and placed her hands on her hips. "You girls sure know how to make my work harder than it should be. And what's with the glum faces? What, you girls lose Ash or something?"

…

The women turned away, hurt and ashamed.

…

Domino finally allowed herself to laugh, cackling meanly. "Oh geez, you're all so easy to upset!"

"But Dominique –"

"Ash is fine." she interrupted May with a smirked reply.

"…_What…_" Maya charged the Agent and grabbed her by the collar. "WHAT DO YOU KNOW?! WHERE'S SATO?!"

"Froufrou! Emotional as ever, I see."

"DON'T YOU 'FROUFROU' ME! TELL ME WHAT YOU KNOW!"

The former Agent smiled in humor, showing no fear for the powerful Empathic. "What the Quinns always know: _That you girls can't take care of him very well._"

"YOU –" Maya's eyes watered. Her panicked anger began to simmer in reaction to Domino's words. Desperation slowly disappeared as she found the honest confidence inside the arrogant woman's heart. With a sigh, her hands let go. "_…Please. I just need to know if Sato's okay._"

"Of course he's okay." Domino patted the older woman's shoulder. "Sabrina's handling him."

May stepped forward, gaining attention with a cough. "So what are _you_ doing here? Shouldn't you be helping Sabrina save Ash?" her questions were heated and biting. "Hunters have him, you know."

"Of course I know." she responded with a mocking stare. "And I know why the Hunters even found him. _Aura Guardians really should be more careful where they train._"

The hint-edged comment silenced May. She looked away in shame.

Domino held back a grin, loving the Coordinator's pained reaction. Her attention returned to the unified Empathic. "You really know how to cause problems for us, don't you?"

Maya glared at her venomously. "And what exactly do you mean by that?"

"We had to split up because of you. Your use of the pidgeots? Yeah, bad idea. Rockets watch the skies hard, you know? Casey's back at Hearthome, having to help the Resistance fight off against a buncha' Empire forces that you attracted. I was sent here to save you girls from the war you brought to Pastoria. And because of that, you made us leave Sabrina with the task to find Ash!" She shoved the Empathic back a step. "Knowing her, she'll disappear for days with him without giving us a hint of where they went! _Geez, it should've been me sent out there…_"

Domino turned and walked towards the doorway. "But mistakes are mistakes, and Quinns fix them. So come on. I have a rough idea of where Ash might be. If we get there in time, we can stop them from eloping." she mentioned nonchalantly, opening the door. With a graceful leap, she climbed into an overhead panel and offered her hand to help the next person up.

Angie followed her lead, refusing her help as she pulled herself up to the opening. "You sure this way's going to be safe? The entire building is swarming with those Empire freaks."

"An entire building swarming with freaks wrapped around my fingers." the blonde boasted, "A lot's happened since we've been gone. For instance, I'm already an Elite member of the Empire. What have you girls accomplished since then?"

"Got locked up. Broke out. Joined a Resistance. Found out some stuff. Tons of meetings. Then bickered with each other until Ash went missing."

"Same old same old?"

"Pretty much." Angie sighed and reached her arm down.

The two helped pull several pokémon into the space between them. Larger ones were returned to their poké balls and pocketed.

"So what's MayMay up to these days?" Domino grunted as Espeon leapt onto her face. She quickly swatted her off. "Aren't you girls usually 'Ramie'-ing whenever you're out and about?"

"Huh? Wasn't she taken with Ash by the Hunters?"

"Was she? Casey said she only heard that the Hunters caught a blonde and an Aura Guardian. So unless Pinky decided to go golden, I would've guessed that was dunderhead taken."

"Seriously?" Angie frowned and exchanged worried looks with the ones below her. "Where the heck did that idiot go?"

Maya was pulled up next. She sneered at the topic. "Probably decided to save Ash without letting any of us find out. Ashamed to show her face to us after failing to even keep her 'boyfriend' safe. Which is the first proper reaction she's ever made. Her irresponsibility and lax behaviors finally caught up with her. She _should_ be ashamed." She shook her head apologetically. "_Ah, that's terrible of me to say…_"

"Terrible but true." May grumbled as she leapt up to the opening by herself. "She, of all people, should've protected him with her life. You can't just claim a guy that people would kill for, then lose him like a pair of car keys the very next day."

"…Wait, did you just say MayMay is… Ash's girlfriend?" Domino paused in her assistance.

"Yeah. A lot's happened with us too since you've been gone. _'Ashlene'_ is now a thing."

…

The former Agent pulled up another pokémon. A frown creased her lips. "…I see."

* * *

Happy tossed the hesitant soldier through the gate and swung it shut. "Now get the rest through! I'm blowing this tunnel!"

"But Happy –!"

"No buts, Kicks! Without you, Scope won't last a second sunrise. So go!"

"But –!"

The scar-cheeked man lifted his rifle and pointed it through the iron bars. "You want to die here, I can grant that for ya'. If you'd rather wear a cape, then do it with Scope."

…

The soldier saluted stiffly. "It's been an honor working with you, sir."

He nodded in response. "Same. Take care of Scope."

"Take out those Empire thugs."

"I'll make sure they're going wherever I'm going."

Kicks smiled and turned. His codename became apparent as he ran down the darkening burrow at a speed no one could have matched in Patrol Team Scope, leaving behind the man who never matched any name given to him.

Happy exhaled in relief, glad to finally have been left alone. He returned his attention towards the opposite shaft, weighing the weapon strapped across his chest. Though only the faintest of echoes rung around him, he studied them intently with his ears and chest, knowing that whoever the sounds belonged to would decide if he could stop them temporarily or permanently.

A low rumble hovered in the air, beating against his chest with an impossibly light vibration. "_A growl, huh? Heavy. Thick in meat. Definitely not one of those rock-skinned types._" He grinned and rested his foot on the trigger pedal below him. "_That means I can cook 'em._"

Surrounding the Pokémon Slayer, makeshift explosives of differing strengths and effects were stacked against and buried into the cave's walls. All were connected to the single trigger device underneath Happy's boot. The slightest change of pressure would cause all of them to set off simultaneously – an event he was looking forward to greatly.

His eyes locked onto a specific canister located to his right. Its bright warning colors and threateningly large lettering of 'NAPALM' gave him chills of rapture. It had been years since he had used the chemical agent against anyone living, his stealth-enforced status in a Patrol Team preventing him from enjoying his old love of pyrotechnics, but he could still remember its exact taste and smell when it was exposed to heated petroleum. Even if he would be the first of its victims, he found satisfaction in it being the last sensation he would experience in his life. "_Right about now Lepsy would make a joke about 'going out with a bang'…_"

A pain ran through his arm, the embedded marks of his tattoos were reacting to his reminiscent thoughts once again. Whether it was simply his imagination, a misaligned neural stimulation, or an actual connection of the spirit – he didn't know and didn't care. The only thing that mattered were the faces and histories attached to each name of his lost comrades. "_Dragon, ma'am, I'm comin' to join ya'…_"

The dark walls around him began to pulse in a dim blue and yellow – a visual sign of a friendly heading in his direction. "_Oh you have got to be yanking me!_" Happy spat at the floor and removed his foot off the pedal. "SAY YOUR NAME OR YOUR PRAYERS!"

"_Ritchie!"_ a voice echoed back.

"SPARKLES?! WHAT IN DARKRAI'S NAME ARE YOU DOING BACK HERE!"

"_The other entrances are closed! This one's the last one! Solana and I have to get through!"_

"I HEARD A GROWL BACK THERE! THERE WERE SOME POKÉMON CHASING US DOWN THIS WAY! WHAT HAPPENED TO THEM?"

"_I don't know! But the growl you heard was my charizard Zippo!"_

"…FINE! JUST TOSS YOUR FLARE HERE JUST SO I KNOW YOU'RE TELLING THE TRUTH!" he shouted and raised his rifle. _If the flare comes flashing blue and yellow, then he's dead…_ By alternating HBR regulations, the color green was the month's 'safety hue'. Any other choice of the spectrum would only show the workings of a spy or a hostage situation.

To his relief, and slight disappointment, the pulsing colors of the cave turned a brightening green. The flare rolled towards him and stopped inches from the trigger pedal. "…CLEAR!"

Ritchie, Solana, and a large dragon-like creature peeked around the corner. A fourth figure hesitantly appeared beside them.

Happy aimed his rifle and hovered his foot over the pedal. "And who is that?"

"An old friend of ours!" the male Trainer immediately defended with his hands raised.

"Your _'old friend'_ is wearing Empire uniform. Give me one unsatisfying reason why I shouldn't make this the only place to put our tombstones."

"Nice friend you've got here." the unknown female commented with sarcasm.

"Shut it, scum!" Happy sneered. He returned the conversation to Ritchie without moving his sharpened eyes. "Sparkles, I trust you enough to not have us all killed right here, right now. But if that runt speaks out of turn again, I'm burning this bridge before it's even crossed."

Ritchie smiled nervously and introduced the young female. "Happy, this is Casey. Casey, Happy. Casey was part of our group before we met with the Resistance. She was working as a double-agent in the Empire while she was gone."

"Convenient story."

Solana spoke, "And she's the reason why the Empire's forces just pulled back."

His eye and lip twitched. "…What do you mean?"

The baseball-capped girl reached for the device in her ear and held it forward. Turning dials and switches on her belt, she raised the earpiece's volume. "_Repeat: All Empire soldiers in the area are to withdraw immediately. New objectives and positions are to be received by your commanding officers. This area is no longer a priority. Repeat: All Em–_" Her hand closed, silencing the continuous message.

…

Happy lowered his rifle, though kept his foot on the trigger mechanism. "Alright. So no more Emps to bother us. Now why?"

"Casey here fed them information that the HBR had successfully transferred 'the weapon' to the Eterna Branch, and that this was just a distraction."

He cocked his brow at Solana's explanation. "Eterna Branch? That Resistance was decommissioned weeks ago when the –"

"And does the Empire know that?"

"…A girl in an Empire uniform apparently does."

The purple-haired girl sighed. "Geez, what don't you get about double-agent?" She stiffened as the man's rifle was aimed towards her again.

"I get that some girl in an Empire uniform knows something about the Resistance that isn't even commonly known to those in the higher ranks. Derelict Eterna Branch? 'The Weapon'? This kind of information isn't something you should be proud of knowing."

"W-Well, how do you know it then?"

"…Word gets around."

"And I'm good at finding 'words'."

Happy grunted and faced Solana. "So what's our plan now? I thought we were supposed to make them think that our base was in Mt. Coronet – not send them on a goose chase halfway across the region."

"We thought that was the plan too… but Casey here said that if we made the Empire think that, they'd reclaim Hearthome City without a second guess."

"…_Right. I didn't consider that._ Guess that BiBi girl isn't as smart as you make her out to be."

"Or maybe she is." Casey said with a knowing smirk, "She was probably planning to sell out the HBR just to buy herself more time."

"Is everyone in your team double-crossers?"

"Is everyone in yours?"

…

The soldier looked away in irritation and walked towards the iron gate. "Touché. But just so you know…" He unlocked the latch, opening the entrance wide. "I didn't think for a minute you people were Operation Beta. OB works deceptively, but they at least had the decency to work for one objective and only one objective. You folks are all over the place… and you're tearing us in every direction."

"Then you're probably not going to like what comes next…"

"Why? What come ne–"

A loud **CLUNG** vibrated terribly against the walls. Happy's eyes rolled to the back of his head, falling face-flat onto the cave's wet floor.

Casey sheathed her metal bat and bowed in apology. "_I'm really sorry about that._"

Zippo was returned to his poké ball as Ritchie and Solana walked through the gate's passage.

Casey followed after them. "You guys remember what I told you to do?"

"Stay out of sight and leave the package at E-7." Ritchie confirmed as he pulled a folder from his vest's lining.

"Stay out of sight and cut communication lines in the base." Solana verified as she raised the toolbox in her hand.

"Is all of this really necessary?" the male Trainer expressed his discomfort, "Couldn't we just escape and leave them alone? I mean, they're already crippled enough…"

"As long as they have control of that weapon, they have a chance of beating the Empire." Casey explained with a frown, "Empire may be our enemy. But the HBR's going to be a bigger threat if they win. …Besides, we're not leaving them to rot like they would in BiBi's plan. That package is going to help them survive longer out here than anything they have in their arsenal right now. _…other than the weapon, of course._"

"So what is this 'weapon' anyways?" the Ranger questioned as she pulled Happy's unconscious body to the side, sitting him against the cave wall.

The baseball enthusiast shook her head. "No way. I know how you two work. You'd probably tell BiBi if she asked you. So for now: don't get concerned about that stuff. I'll handle the weapon and you won't have to worry about babysitting a group that wants to hand you over to the Empire."

Solana shrugged. "_Alright._ I was just asking… It'd be nice if we knew what was going on for once."

"Really? Honestly, my head just hurts having to memorize half the things Sabrina tells me to remember. You two are lucky not to get caught up in this."

Green walls began to fade into a dark grey as the dual-lit flare began to lose its spark. The cave's tunnels darkened immensely, hiding the passageway they had traveled through.

"Well, looks like we can't dally out here anymore." Casey twisted her baseball cap back and bit through a stick of bubblegum. "Let's do this."

* * *

Chemical lamps flickered into life as the distant glow of the Valor Lights was no longer strong enough to keep the interior of the tree house easily visible. Isolated candles were snuffed out, no longer needed or wanted in the lighting meant for larger, more active guests. Foil curtains were draped over obvious cracks and openings to prevent outsiders from sighting the activity within its hidden confines. Last to prepare for the night: Coffee was safely made for the three guests and their hostess.

Melody tapped her fingers playfully along the kitchen cupboards, waiting for her special brew to finish. She turned to observe her guests. Just as they had been since she had begun to accommodate for the increasing darkness, the two females and lone male were discussing various changing topics over a hand-drawn map of the Sinnoh region. All four of them had been involved in the creation of the scribbled topography. And all four of them had shared their stories and experiences with one another during their team effort. Melody had found herself surprised at how fun and enlightening the social project had been.

Only hours before, she had seen all three as strangers she was awkwardly trying to impress – but now they seemed much more fitting of the term 'friends'.

Bianca, the blonde with spectacular green eyes, had revealed herself to be a rather intelligent woman with a heart of gold, with only her lack of worldly experience stranding her within the confines of 'naivety' and 'innocence'. Her weaknesses seemed to be her greatest strength, as Melody found herself unable to avoid falling in love with the slightly older woman's kindness and simple view of the world around her. In second thoughts, the Guardian found that her original assumption of Bianca being Ash's wife was now a disappointing falsified fact in its misconception. _They made beautiful couple. But Ash married now…_

Maylene, the woman of striking pink hair and eyes, expressed herself as an outwardly expressive female. There was little she was caring to hide and barely a limit of what she was willing to share. By definition, she was honest, vulgar, and loud-spoken. Through careful examination, however, Melody found that Maylene avoided extremely personal topics and subjects about herself; using insults and humor to hide them. She was far more complicated and sensitive than what she made herself seem like. The very facts that she wasn't who she said she was while still sharing attributes of a Hunter, made the Guardian wary of her. _But Ash trust her. I trust her soon._

And Ash, the man of many faces, names, and histories – each far too different and varied to be trustworthy in close inspection – but all far too similar and connected to be confused by when seen through a careful extrospection. At times he could see, at other times he couldn't. In one glance he's seen as short in height, in second glances he's seen as average in height, and in third glances he's seen curiously taller. How he expressed himself would shift between an avatar of determined youth and a figure of experienced age. Who he was, was fleeting. Who he is, Melody found to be unnervingly obvious: He was Ash – plain and simple. Despite this revelation of character, the female Guardian still found a sense of comfort in his existence. _You change many times. Yet always stay same. Like world. You true Aura Guardian. Someday I become true too._

All three guests were becoming familiar to Melody. And she wanted nothing more than to have them become even more familiar with her. In her eyes, each of them had a unique perspective in life that she desired to learn from. Her time in isolated duty had made her desperate in growing and moving forward with others. And she finally had her chance with Ash's group; the only ones who had been welcoming enough to include her into their lives. It was an inclusion that was beyond her dreams, and beyond all description. _Their bond… special. Close. Real. Feels whole._

Her eyes hovered across the wooden floor, resting on each of the individual shadows that seemed to move and dance to its own light.

One shadow stiffly bobbed from one side to the other – excited in energy, yet unknowing of how to use it. _Bianca loves friends like family. She cares for all, yet protects those closest like children. Others think she like daughter. But she only see herself like mother. Endearing. Sweet. I become like her if I mother._

Another shadow flowed and halted like fluid clockwork – innate in its coordination, yet uncaring for the technicalities. _Maylene loves friends like partners. She treats everyone equally, yet helps those special to her. Honest. I wonder if my love honest._

The third shadow firmly adjusted itself while remaining flexible in its movements – adapting to the shadows around it, yet keeping a solid form of its own. _Ash loves friends like…_

…

Melody's thoughts came up blank.

The male Aura Guardian, the one she had the most in common with in sense of love and care for others, wasn't immediately knowable in how he expressed love towards his friends. Despite having been told that every member of his team was connected to him in some way or another, Melody realized that he held no specific, unified form of relationship with any of them. From all the stories shared by the three, the 'team' was made of friends and strong acquaintances – yet all were far too different from one another to cooperate in a single cause. That very fact had explained why there was a 'power struggle' within their ranks, and that very fact had explained why they often separated and worked independently from one another. _But they all still friends of Ash…_

Within stories of close calls and dramatic tensions expressed from the trio, it was obvious to Melody that each member held a strong affinity towards Ash. _But not everyone friends to each other. Only Ash stay consistent._

She considered if the male Aura Guardian was simply an over-accommodating figure – a sort of kind pushover that pleased anyone and everyone that they met. It would have been the easiest explanation for his relationship with the others. _But he protect them. Defend them. Even from each other. That not pushover. That…_

Her eyes followed the shadow back to its source. Ash was at his 'balanced state'; his height grew slightly taller than his 'original self', his 'seeing eyes' were wide and expressive, and the noticeable scar that ran across his eyelids had disappeared completely.

He pushed and struck at Maylene roughly as the two of them teased at one another with heard-words. Bianca would attempt to join in, making tried-jokes that fell flat in her moment of nervousness. The failure would soon be repaired whenever Ash would give her ideas to work with, allowing her to return with a powerful comeback that would break the three of them into enthusiastic laughter.

The scene was heartening, but also very telling: His actions for each were personal, attentive, and curiously aware. _Ash not accommodating. Ash not have many faces. Ash loves friends for them – their heart – their mind – their soul – not from benefit or compatibility. He loves them with real love. …Reason why world always makes him Aura Guardian._

Almost as if reacting to her thoughts, Ash looked up in her direction. Their eyes locked. _Brown eyes. Not sparkling or fascinating like other two. But warm. _He gave her a heart-warming smile and nodded. Melody returned the expression cheerfully. _What he see in me I wonder…_

Ash tapped at the air, pointing at the area directly beside her.

Melody turned to see what he wanted her to face. "Ah!" _Coffee! Forgot!_ She frantically returned to duties of being a hostess. With an embarrassed smile, she readied and served the hot mugs to each of her guests. "Enjo-ee!"

"…Enjo-ee?" Maylene blew at the cup's brim and sniffed its contents. "Never heard of that kind of roast… _Ow!_ Stop stepping on my foot already!"

Ash finished sipping his coffee and cleared his throat. "She was trying to say 'enjoy'."

"Well _excuse me_ for being confused at its pronunciation."

"You knew what she was trying to say."

"And if I didn't?"

"Then you're the one who has a problem hearing." Ash winced as Maylene kicked at his shin.

"I – I don't really like coffee." Bianca tried poorly to refuse the drink. Her effort was ignored as the mug's handle was slipped around her fingers.

"Welkem!" Melody grinned and took a sip from her own coffee. She cheerfully walked to one side of the table, studying their marked-on map.

"_Oh… Okay…_" The blonde sighed and forced herself to swallow a mouthful of the swirling brown liquid. Her face made sickened expressions, but immediately changed to a delicate smile when Melody gave her a look of concern. "I-It's delicious!"

The hostess responded with a smile of her own. "Thank!"

Maylene chuckled at the blonde's predicament. "How does she never understand what you're saying?"

"_I really don't know…_" Bianca frowned and pretended to drink more of the coffee.

A thick tapping sound was heard on the center of the table. Melody's hand waved for their attention and pointed to a certain marking placed near their current location. "…Valor Lights?"

"Yeah, we are going inside." Ash answered.

The female Guardian tilted her head in bewilderment. She held her palm out and gestured for him to write. To her surprise, his traced answer was exactly what he had mouthed with heard-words. "But cannot. Bahrrier."

"Don't worry about it, Blue-eyes. I happen to know the Legendary there." Maylene boasted, "I'm sure he'll let us in."

Ash silently translated for her – further confusing the Orange Isles native. Instead of pushing for more explanations, which she was sure would be answered once they arrived, she pointed to another marking beside her hideaway's representation on the map. The marking was in the shape of an hourglass. "Time?"

"Wait." Ash answered. 'W-e-H-a-v-e-T-o-W-a-i-t-F-o-r-M-y-O-t-h-e-r-F-r-i-e-n-d-s'

'T-h-e-y-C-o-m-e-H-e-r-e-?'

'M-a-y-l-e-n-e-S-a-i-d-T-h-e-y-W-e-r-e-L-o-o-k-i-n-g-F-o-r-M-e' he wrote as he mouthed the words. It was a form of communication that he copied from the deaf Guardian, as she seemed to understand translations faster and with more clarity through the simultaneous actions. 'T-h-e-y-W-i-l-l-F-i-n-d-M-e-F-a-s-t-e-r-I-f-W-e-W-a-i-t-I-n-O-n-e-S-p-o-t'

'H-o-w-L-o-n-g-W-a-i-t-?-W-h-e-n-W-e-L-e-a-v-e-T-o-V-a-l-o-r-L-i-g-h-t-s-?'

'W-e-W-i-l-l-W-a-i-t-U-n-t-i-l-T-h-e-y-F-i-n-d-U-s-T-h-e-n-W-e-W-i-l-l-L-e-a-v-e'

"Seriously? That's going to take forever! Let's just go ourselves." Maylene grumbled as she watched Ash finish his response, "We can do it a lot faster without them."

Bianca hesitantly added, "That's… what she said?"

Ash and Maylene snorted held laughs.

The fighter broke her laugh and waved at the blonde, "Don't say those kind of jokes, Greeny. Those are for grown-ups."

"H-Hey! I'm grown-up! I'm older than you!"

"Y-You are?" Maylene flinched and eyed her curiously. "**Geez, girl!** You look young! Young-young! Maybe I need to lay off the coffee." She glided her cup across the table, placing it next to a near-full one. "Here, you can finish mine."

"B-But I – I don't like coffee! It makes my head feel weird…"

The fighter ignored her justified whine and returned her attention to the silent conversation. "So are we seriously going to be waiting until they get here? Let's just ditch 'em and go! If they catch up with us here, we're probably going to slow back down to a crawl…" Her eyes twitched, recalling memories of delaying meetings and flooding schedules. "_Besides, I kind of miss us being in a small group. A lot more fun._"

"You wouldn't like it if I kept moving around while you were searching for me, would you?" he asked without taking his eyes away from Melody's palm.

"…No."

"Then we wait for them."

"What are we supposed to do here until then?"

"I dunno… spar?"

Her somber mood changed with a smirk. "…_Are you flirting with me, Mr. Ketchum?_"

Bianca tugged at Ash's sleeve in concern. "But teacher, you need your rest! You still haven't recovered completely."

"Teacher? That's Ash, Greeny."

"Sato's in there too, you know!"

Maylene responded before he could answer either of them, "Yeah I know he's in there. But I'd like it if you didn't get his attention. He's going to talk in that _voice_ and makes me feel all… _ewww._"

Ash sighed. He blinked in surprise as his wrist was grabbed.

'W-h-a-t-T-h-e-y-T-a-l-k-A-b-o-u-t-?'

'T-h-e-y-A-r-e-J-u-s-t-T-'

"Are you still talking to her? When are we going to spar?"

"No more fighting! Ash and Sato need to rest! They're both very tired!"

Melody shoved the male Guardian aside and hissed, "_Warning signal! Intooder outside._"

Maylene held back a laugh. "Pff… 'Intooder.'"

"That's _very_ rude, Maylene." Bianca scolded and attempted to step on her foot.

The fighter dodged the strike. "Ha! Too slow!"

"_Close mouths! Intooders!_" Melody warned the two females. She turned back to face the warning signal… which was no longer blinking. "Ah? No intooders?" Crouching, she checked the device's wiring and tested the other crafted electronics beside it.

"Heheh, 'Intooders'…"

"Maylene!"

"What? It sounds funny."

"You're very insensitive!"

"Insensitive to what? I'm sure the way you try to write on her palm feels funny to her."

Ash exhaled tiredly and walked into the bedroom. Sitting on the surprisingly soft mattress, he watched the two females continue their distracted arguments and the third female's frantic examination of her home's infallible security system.

The sleeping pokémon set beside him began to rouse into consciousness. He brushed its fur until it fell back into slumber. "_Sshhh… Sorry for waking you, Buizel. Go back to sleep._" he whispered softly and scratched the Sea Weasel Pokémon's chin. It immediately curled itself, burying its head into the blanket.

A frown formed on his face as his fingers ran against the buizel's ears. _I hope Pikachu's doing okay…_

_I am sure he is fine. He can take care of himself. And Dominique is with him right now – you can rest well knowing that she will ensure that he is well cared for._

_Yeah…_ Ash smiled in agreement. His body fell back and rested against the bed's comforting embrace. An indescribable sense of relief and satisfaction blanketed his body as a familiar bond reconnected with him. _Hey Sabrina… I've missed you._

_I've missed you too, Ash._ the Psychic's voice hummed gently within his thoughts. It swirled inside his mind's contents like a child within her first candy store. Memories of events and happenings that the male Empathic had owned were watched and deciphered in an impossibly short amount of time by the former Gym Leader. _And I apologize for setting off the woman's alarm earlier. Her security network is quite extensive._

_It's okay. Honestly, it gave me a chance to get away from there. So, I'm thankful. I'm not sure if I would have been able to hold a conversation with all three of them acting like that._

_I assume their behavior has been affected by the caffeine served. It seems potent._

Ash yawned and stretched. _Really? I still feel like I haven't slept in weeks._

_Aura exhaustion can do that to the body. Heed Bianca's words: __**You need to rest.**__ Both of you._

_And what if I don't want to? What if I want to stay up to catch up with you?_

_I don't think your girlfriend would appreciate that._

He held his hands up in surrender. _Found out about that, huh?_

_It was the first thing you revealed to me._ she responded with a strange sense of friendliness, _Thank you for keeping honest._

_It would be a mistake to hide anything from you._ He chuckled. _So what do you think?_

_I am surprised she finally had the courage to ask you… Ramie, that is. Not Maylene. Also, I believe that Dominique will have a very large problem with this._

_Yeah, I know. But what about you? What do you think?_

_I am happy for the two of you._

Ash raised his brow. _Don't be like that, Sabrina. Be honest with me or I'll have to pry into __**you**__._

_I __**think**__ she's second class._ Sabrina's mental voice warped in mood and pitch, reflecting that of a child's. _You could've done a lot better. She's already failed you once – If she fails you again, I'll __**make sure**__ she pays. Oh, and, I'm __**not**__ going to stop Dommy from doing what she wants to do. You can handle that yourself._

Before he could respond, she interrupted him, _In fact, I don't think you should handle any of that. I think you should let your __**girlfriend**__ prove her worth against Dommy. It's only fair._

He chuckled at the response. _Is that what you really want?_

_What I really want is to go in there myself and give her a piece of my mind. How foolish can that girl be? Leaving you alone to fight a Hunter? Irresponsible! No:__** Stupid!**__ Very stupid!_

_Well, why don't you come in here anyways? Not to fight. But to meet Melody, have some coffee, and sleep on a comfy bed?_

…_No thank you. I'll stay out here._

_Come on, Sabrina._

The Psychic's mood and pitch returned to its original state. _I should not. Someone must keep watch of the area for any threats. As effective as this 'Melody's security is; it won't be able to protect you from the Empire's current aggression. With the chaos caused in Hearthome and Pastoria, as well as the manhunt for __**two**__ Aura Guardians – the Empire's forces in Sinnoh are in a higher alert level than they have ever been._

…

…_And I'm mad at you._

_There we go! See? I feel a lot better with that answer._

_**You're a jerk. I don't like you. I hate you.**_

_Okay._

_**Okay then.**_

_I'll see you tomorrow then, Sabrina._

_**Hmph. Maybe you won't.**_

_Okay._

…

_Goodnight, Sabrina._

…_Sweet dreams, Ash. See you in the morning._

* * *

Lightning popped and crackled against the sky, destroying the darkness of the night for seconds at a time. Bursts of rolling thunder would follow moments after, vanquishing the silence of the area eternally as they cascaded and echoed once after and against the other. The forests of Valor Lake held no sense of peace under the pressure of the devastating stormy skies. Despite this chaos, no sentient existence reacted in panic, fear, or defiance. Late night storms had become common within the woods of Valor, focused especially above the wondrous Valor Lights, and its inhabitants were now far too used to its dreadful noise and show.

Distances away from the howling winds and frightening powers, only small glimpses of light and rumbles reached the hidden home of Sinnoh's Last Aura Guardian. None of its buffered sounds or flashes caused its sleeping occupants any harm or notice – each of them sleeping soundly within their chosen spots of retirement.

Except for one.

Bianca tossed and turned in the bed, attempting to ignore the atmosphere-shaking thunders with great difficulty. She had never slept through thunderstorms or the like within a housing of open windows or doors. She had never slept through any loud weathers alone. She always had a companion and the safety of thick walls and closed entrances to keep her comforted. Within Melody's hidden hideaway home, there were no such things.

"_Come on… Pignite… please…_" she whimpered fearfully as she pulled at the Fire Pig Pokémon's tail once again. He refused to budge, having had fallen into a deep slumber while wedged between the foot of the bed and a fallen bookcase. More than once she had considered sleeping atop of his warming back, but the angle was far too awkward to find any comfort – and any slips would pull her to the freezing floor. Another failing tug convinced her that she would never be able to gain him as a sleeping partner on the comfortable, yet lonely, mattress. His current position had also convinced her that returning him to the poké ball and rereleasing him wouldn't have helped either – as the action was the initial cause of his awkward placement, as well as several awkward replacements in prior hours.

With a frown, she gave up in any further attempts with her own pokémon, removing the last option for all current pokémon available to her. Buizel, Machoke, and Sceptile had all proven uncooperative or more troublesome as sleeping partners. And all efforts with gaining a 'bed buddy' had made her far more exhausted than when she had originally started. "_If only I could sleep._" she cried quietly. Another thunder struck in the distance, causing her to immediately hide underneath the blankets. Its fabrics were thick and strong, yet felt frail under the strength of the storming skies – and felt like thin strings when fears of _'lightning strike trees more often, especially if there's metal inside the tree'_ would circle her mind.

The fear forced her to cocoon herself within the blanket and roll away from the bed, venturing to find another being who could give her the company she desperately desired.

"_M-Maylene, can I –? _OW!" she yelped in pain. The pink-haired fighter had struck the blonde's face with her bare foot – busy with an unseen fight inside her dreams. "_Nevermind._" Bianca sniffled her injured tears away and crawled to her next candidate.

"_Um… Excuse me. Melody?_" She peeked over the couch's edge, hoping that the female Guardian would be awake. "_Excuse me?_" She nudged against her shoulder weakly with her forehead. "_Ms. Melody?_"

"_Time. Obey time._" the Guardian mumbled in her sleep. Her arm struck out and sent a wave of Aura towards Bianca. The time-speeding attack had missed the Unova native by centimeters and rotted a hole through a corner of the tree house. "_Monster. You monster._" Her hands signed lazily and fell limp.

"_N-Nevermind…_" Bianca ducked and wormed her way to her final option.

Curled against four large cushions taken from the couch and wrapped in a thick sleeping bag that she was sure had belonged to Maylene, Ash was found in a comfortable spot behind the small kitchen's oven. It wasn't the sleeping area that he had been given by Melody, as he was supposed to share the bed with Maylene. The fighter, however, had already fallen asleep on a pile of worn clothes and was resistant to any form of bed-transferring. Ash had later given the assigned bed to Bianca, who had found her original sleeping area on the couch to be far too cold. He had insisted on her taking the warm and comfortable bed and promised that he knew of a more comfortable spot to rest in. Melody was unknowingly given the couch soon after the trade, with Ash and Bianca carefully moving her from her humbled sleeping spot on the floor.

The male Guardian had disappeared soon after, concerning and burdening the blonde with guilt. Preventing her from any worried actions was the absolute warmth of the bed – tempting her into inaction. Only now had she escaped from its inebriating grasp, seeking company and protection from the frightening thunder over any form of perfectly-tailored comforts. Right now she needed to feel safe. At this moment she desired for someone's closeness to tell her everything would be okay. And the only one available to give her what she desperately wanted… Her final option to end the maddening fear running in her heart… was the one she held the most hesitation for.

"_Nevermind._" she whispered to herself, turning and ready to flee back to the bed. She was scared, she was frightened, but she was far more terrified of the implications made by sleeping beside a taken man.

**KRR-SHAA!**

"Eep!" Bianca yelped and dove into safety. The thunderstorms had finally reached Melody's home, the sounds of heavy rain and lightning-booms no longer an echo in the distance. It was a harrowing realization that made her nearly sob in despair.

Except… she had no need to. She felt safe… _beside Ash_.

…

"_Uhm…_" She stared at the ceiling, as if to convince the sleeping young man that she had chosen to lean against him for casual reasons. With a slight push, she attempted to squirm to her feet and escape the mind-melting situation. "I – _I have to go now._"

"_Maya, don't…_" Ash wrestled his head against her leg, knocking her back to the floor. He pulled against the sleeping bag, freeing his arms and latching onto the blonde's waist. "_Don't go… I'm sorry… I could have…_" his voice hushed into a low breathing.

Bianca remained unmoving. Despite the floor's undeniable cold, her entire body felt hot. Her face burned a deep pink. It continued to turn pinker and redder, convincing her that it would permanently stay discolored. Guilt scratched and tore at her heart for the thoughts and emotions that ran through her body. _I shouldn't be here. He shouldn't be holding me like this. We shouldn't be doing any of this. Ash is taken. I'm…_

"_Please… I don't want you to go…_"

Ash's words forced her heart to skip erratically. Though she knew the words weren't meant for her, his desperation, whether real or only dream-fed, was impossible to ignore. "_I… I won't go._" she murmured in response. Pushing herself upright, Bianca adjusted Ash and herself into a comfortable position against the cushions.

Lightning flashed and thunder struck fiercely in the deep black skies, encouraging Bianca to shuffle into the sleeping Empathic's unconscious embrace. His arms felt safe and warm, protective against any monsters or disasters that threatened the tree's inhabitants. Her mind swirled in confliction. Only hours before she had felt guilty for taking his bed and leaving him to sleep alone. And yet now she was feeling guilt for sharing his sleeping area with him. "_I really shouldn't be here… I'm sorry. I'm just scared._"

"Don't be scared, Maya. I'm here. It can't take you anymore." Ash responded audibly and clearly. His eyes were open, staring into her eyes as she glanced at him. At first notice he seemed awake and conscious, but his wavering head movements revealed that he was only sleep-talking. "You're safe now."

"_You shouldn't be dreaming about Maya anymore, Ash…_" Bianca was blushing from Ash's hold and gaze, yet she still spoke to him with responsible concern, "_You're with Maylene now. A Ramie. You chose her over Maya. Remember?_"

"I…" His head dipped, falling into slumbered silence for seconds before rising again. "I never chose her over you, Maya. She's… Ramie. You're Maya…"

"_But you have to choose, Ash. You can't be with both, you know?_"

"…_I'm not supposed to…_"

"_You're… not supposed to? What do you mean? Not supposed to what?_"

"_I'll do better this time. I promise, Maya._"

"_Do what better?_" Bianca stared at Ash's blanking eyes, watching his subconscious attention wander to and fro. She sighed. Though she dearly desired to know what he had meant in his words, his somniloquy was showing signs of deterioration. Whatever conversation she had held with him had moved onto something else – refusing her from getting to further know the man she had begun to admire. Regardless of his lost meanings, she continued to converse with him, finding ease in speaking with his sleeping conscious, "_I'm not Maya, by the way… I'm Bianca. A Leanne._" she clarified with a tone of depressed admittance. _Leannes aren't that interesting…_

"_I think you're interesting._" Ash mumbled with a rising volume. He was slowly regaining his sense of the conversation, despite remaining unawake. His hand slowly brushed against Bianca's cheek. "I almost didn't recognize you hiding under there, Leanne. You shouldn't hide behind those masks. I think you're fine the way you are."

The Unova native found herself at a loss for words. Ash had recognized her inner-emotions despite not being fully conscious. Further pressing her silence was the fact that he hadn't recognized her previously despite having access to that ability. _Am… Am I really that much like Maya that he can't see me as Leanne?_ A pain ran across her chest, sending sensations of bittersweet success and incomplete failure. "Wh-What is it about me that's fine?"

Bianca's eyes widened. Her hands sealed her mouth shut. The words that had left her lips were not spoken in her voice. The words that had left her tongue were not chosen by her mind.

"_Everything…_" Ash's eyes closed and his body slumped to one side. He continued to hold the frightened blonde in his arms, though she no longer held any of his unconscious attention.

Carefully, Bianca removed her fingers from her lips. "I don't think that's true, Sato…" her lips continued to speak for themselves, "But I want it to be. I want to be perfectly fine like you say I am." _Why am I saying this? Why am I… feeling this?_ "I don't know why you would say I am. I don't know why you say half the things you do say. I wish I could understand you like Ramie could. Or look into your heart like Maya can. Or even just share your most private thoughts like Quinn does. But I can't…"

Her body shook in confusion as her hands moved on their own accord. They slid across the Guardian's cheek and ear, sending shivers of fanatic elation through her arms. Just to be able to touch him had made her head feel faint. "I have to figure you out from the outside-in, Sato." she said sadly as the tingles in her body faded, "I don't have the keys to your emotions, and I don't know the patterns of your mind. I don't even have your full trust and companionship. After all this time, I don't even know you. After all these changes and plans, I'm still just me… just Leanne. The one who can never seem to figure you out… but you still have me running in circles around you. You keep leading on and baiting me on. I don't know why. I don't know why you want me to keep chasing if I can never attain you."

Leaning forward, her eyes focused on his sleeping lips. "Even if I can't earn you from my efforts… _I can…_ I can take what I want. With or without your permission." _No! Leanne! Stop!_ Her body froze, just a gasp away from Ash's own breath. The sound of her heart pounding echoed loudly in her ears. She was ready to pull away, to return to her comfortable position in his hold… when she pressed herself forward.

Her eyes shut tightly and her lips poorly embraced his. It was… stiff and noticeably off-center. She pressed harder regardless. Flavors of Melody's strong coffee and freshly baked breads sprinkled on her tongue as his exhales added its own unique spice. The mix of scents and tastes was strangely… _delicious._ She curiously moved her mouth, tasting each portion of his lips, noticing slight variances as if every inch was seasoned differently from one another. His mouth adjusted with hers, instinctively reacting to her kiss.

The pounding of her heart became deafeningly loud, silencing the storms that had become long forgotten. Thoughts and emotions halted in their uncontrolled spins and pierced towards only one subject. _I'm… He's…_

_I shouldn't be! W-We shouldn't be!_ She pulled away instantly. _I shouldn't have… Why did I…?_ Tears streamed down her cheeks. An absolute feeling of hateful shame spread across her chest, sending an ache through her shoulders and back. Her body curled and cradled at the legs as she buried her face into her hands. _This is wrong. I'm sorry. I'm sorry! I'm sorry!_ Bianca struggled free from Ash's arms. With a grunt, she successfully escaped and limped to a stand.

**KSSHH-KSHAAA!**

Lightning blinded everything into a pure white. Thunder boomed devastatingly. A loud **POP** was heard from an unknown source, flooding fears of a forest fire into the Unova native. Bianca mewled pathetically and sat back down. The floor was freezing and bit harshly against her skin – but she couldn't stand – she couldn't move forward – and she was trying with all her might to stop herself from going back. She felt lost, confused, and utterly powerless. Hushed sobs trickled from her mouth as her chest and shoulders shook in terror.

"…Bianca?"

Her eyes widened; a sense of dread freezing her blood far more than the chilled floor or the terrifying storm could have. Ash had spoken to her, with a tone that was obviously awake.

"Bianca, what are you doing here?"

She didn't move. The noises of the outside crashed loudly, continuing to discourage her from escaping Ash's vicinity.

"Here… Stay with me for now." he voiced calmly as he approached her. His blind hands felt for her shoulders and wrapped her shaken body with the sleeping bag. With a pull, he dragged her back to the four cushions set up behind the stove. He could tell from her hesitation that she wasn't comfortable staying beside him so intimately, but he could sense too well the dread striking inside her heart. "It's okay, you're safe. See? You can barely hear it back here."

She didn't respond. Her body only stiffened and curled. Within herself she was far more silent, as her emotional thoughts had minimized to an indistinguishable size.

He didn't care to pry. His only concern was the obvious fear she held for thunderstorms. With a lean, he wedged her between the bulk of the cushions and himself, hoping to make her feel protected without intruding on her sense of personal space. "Go ahead and sleep. I've already had plenty. I'll stay awake and keep watch over the tree house until the storm's over. Okay?"

"…_sh…_"

"Huh?"

"…_Ash?_" her voice murmured louder, yet her emotions remained impossibly quiet, "_Do you love Maylene?_"

"H-Huh?" his voice cracked at the question, taken aback by its suddenness and forwardness. "Uhm… Y-Yeah. Of course I do."

"_In… In what way? …What makes her special?_"

"Why do you –" he halted in his question, realizing that she may have retreated if he stayed defensive. A sigh slowly ran through his throat. _She's not just here because of the storm, is she?_ Whatever reason the blonde had come to him for was unknown and intended to remain unknown. Yet whatever reason she had come for was also the main source of her fears and insomnia. He needed to answer her, no matter how uncomfortable the results would be, in order to release her from her private troubles. "Well… I guess what I like most about her is the way she cares for others and the energy she has… I think that's how you would put it. She –"

"Not like." she interrupted. "_Love._ What does she do that… makes your heart skip a beat?"

"…_The way she fights._"

"The way she fights?"

"…_and smiles._ And laughs. Her humor. Honesty. Strength. Sense of responsibility and honor. The… The way she stares at me when she expects me to get a joke. Her strong grip. When her eyes get fierce. When –"

"It… sounds like you're just naming off her traits."

"I am. Because – _well_ – I love everything about her."

"…_What do you love about Maya?_"

"…You sound like you know what you're asking." Ash smirked, knowing that Sato would have been proud of her if he was awake. "Like you're baiting me into a strange question that I wouldn't know the answer to."

"But you do know the answer to it, don't you?"

"I've… _Er…_ Sato… _Or maybe me too…_ We've – thought about it a lot."

"_Then…_" a strong gulp was heard soon after. Bianca paused, mulling over infinite questions that seemed to appear from every direction. Every part of herself was afraid of the answers involved, of the consequences involved with each answer, of the purpose behind any of the questions. Ash held the answer to what she wanted to ask long before she had grasped the question. He had known the answer, yet had hesitated in giving it before the question was asked. _Is he unsure of it too? Or scared of what it might mean if he finally answered? Has… anyone ever asked him? Is it even that important to know? Or is the answer so obvious that no one ever cared to ask?_

She inhaled and dismissed her maddening confusions and uncertainties. If the query was to ever be resolved, if her relationship with her past self's intentions had meant anything to her present, if her heart and mind would ever find rest within herself, _if I should ever find reason or forgiveness for the crime I had committed_, then she had to ask the question with no more distractions. _No more hesitation or second-guesses._

"Ash… What does 'love' mean to you?"


	18. Expectations

_Sabrina, sunrise. No threats found the night before. In combination, Mr. Ketchum has received four hours of sleep since last night, and counting. Ms. Maylene is at eight hours and counting. Ms. Bianca is at four hours and counting. Ms. Melody has received seven hours and is currently awake – picking berries at 1.23 kilometers northwest of the hideaway. Pignite, seven – counting. Machoke, nine – counting. Sceptile, eight – counting. Buizel, ten – soon ending. You have received six hours. Do you require date, time, and weather?_

_**No.**_

_Current moods and thoughts?_

_**No.**_

_Dream interpretations? Dream recordings?_

_**No.**_

_Nightly activity?_

…_**Were there any?**_

_Mission or Personal?_

…_**Mission.**_

_No._

…_**Then something personal happened.**_

_You are currently unprepared to accept the information logically and the information is not of immediate concern. It may cause an unnecessary argument between one or more persons within the morning or noon. Do you still wish for me to relay this record?_

…_**No. Thank you, Alakazam. That is all I require.**_

_Of course, Sabrina. Have a pleasant day._

The Psi Pokémon opened his eyes and landed softly onto the ground below. Drops of light sparkled and shimmered as they fell from the dissipating psychic barrier Alakazam had held since the night before. With the barrier vanished, traces of cold water sprinkled against their skins, bringing a reminder of the storm that had ended only hours earlier. For both Psychics it was a refreshing welcome to the new morning.

A flash of red engulfed the pokémon. He returned himself to his poké ball case without any commands, aware of the routine he had been set to for every passing day.

Sabrina nodded to the poké ball in gratitude and continued with her planned schedule.

With a barely tried thought, she lifted herself from the grass and hovered towards the tree house. Small reflections of light warned her of the still-embedded security system that surrounded the female Guardian's home, but without the owner to watch the alerting lights, the safety network had become nothing more than an ingenious curiosity. She had no time to study over or admire it, however, and uncaringly passed through. In moments she reached one of the bare windows and carefully peeked inside.

First to be centered in her sights was the pink-haired fighter Maylene. Sabrina's eyes daggered in threat, wishing to hex the young woman for the unexpected attachment to her bondmate. She quickly ignored the desire and scanned the rest of the room in clockwise fashion. _**Machoke. Buizel. Pignite. Sceptile. Bianca.**_ They were exactly where she had predicted them to be. Her abilities of Empathy and Psychic connection had already pointed their locations long before she had reached the window, but her time as a mole within the Empire's ranks had taught her not to rely entirely on her powers alone. 'Proof and certainty requires more seeing than believing.' And that lesson resonated as soon as her eyes found its last target: _**Ash.**_

Her inner bond practically screamed in delight. It made no sound and it held no true solidarity or sureness in description or metaphor, but it was how she imagined it would respond at the sight of the young man. Joining in its excitement, she felt a rush of youthful energy overtake her senses. She latched onto the window's edges and childishly ducked out of immediate view. Seeing Ash made her feel playful and pathetically shy – opposing the expectations one would have for a respectable woman in her adulthood. The young man was notably junior to her age, but the fact never altered her perception of him or their relationship: Ash was her friend. Her closest human friend. And her love interest.

Those who knew of the interest had considered it to be taboo. Those who had yet to find out would never have believed it unless it had come straight from her own confessions. Any such intimate relationships between them would have been immensely looked down upon due to their distance and distinction in years.

Age and experience ruled people's overall appraisal of the Psychic Sabrina, forming the standards that she would silently abide her lifestyle and mindset to. However, the two bondmates considered the ruling facts to portray the exact opposite of what was to be expected from her: Most of Sabrina's time was spent as the alpha of any leadership or cause that required little to no emotional attachment. The majority of her accomplishments had been gained from acting as the superior authority above those who demanded strict vigilance and discipline. Her age only revealed the years she had spent without a true childhood or adolescence. And her experience had only showed a life that lacked personal expression and attempted passions. By necessity of measured time and qualified engagement, she had found her place and position as a responsible and successful adult. But in all else, where her ideas of love and excitement had been restricted and repressed, and where her life was structured and conformed by obligation, she was left wanting.

Where she was left wanting, Ash filled the void and helped answer its gaps. In her eyes and mind, there was nothing taboo or unthinkable about her feelings for him. She was senior to him in only given time and obvious accomplishments, but in known emotion, in true maturity, and in lived experience, she saw him as the elder. In her eyes and mind, Ash should have been considered equal in years and accolades, if not higher, by rational comparison. In her eyes and mind, he, if anyone, should have been considered the taboo figure in the relationship – as he was the one responsible for her continued discouragement in acting 'her age'.

In that discouragement, she acted as she did now – sheepishly hiding away and glancing into the tree house, sending small signals every few seconds to gain the young man's attention.

The male Empathic finally roused from his dreams, suddenly reacting to a particular feeling that sparked in the air. He sat up and stared in the Psychic's direction. Though the two were well aware of one another's presence, emotions, and thoughts, the obscured physical view of the other provided room for innocent games. Ash stretched and yawned. _What a wonderful day. I'm sure it looks very beautiful outside._ Pretending to sense nothing out of the ordinary, he walked towards the small windowsill and leaned against one of its sides. He then bent forward and scanned the distanced trees. _Hm… Not particularly beautiful._

Sabrina peeked her upside down head slightly below the window's frame, holding her strange position with levitation.

Ash looked up and grinned. _There we go. Definitely more beautiful._

Sabrina blushed and giggled. Her smile grew drastically, causing a slight tingle of pain in her cheeks. She wanted to be angry at Ash – it was part of the plan and schedule that she had rehearsed several times before she had fallen asleep the previous night – but seeing him, face to face, had thrown all bitter decisions into the wind. She couldn't stay angry at him. She couldn't remain cold to him. He was her warmth and sunshine – her heart that allowed her to be who she wanted to become rather than the mind that forced her to remain as she needed to be. And as long as he continued to show no guilt or worry for his previous actions, thoughts, or emotions, she knew that she had no reason to remain upset towards him. Jealousy, envy, uncertainty, and confusion were traits held by the other members of the team whenever their relationship with Ash was put into question or challenge. But her relationship with him had never been compromised. And even now it showed no signs of being threatened, altered, or disturbed.

She knew they had remained the same towards one another… Through _his smile. His voice. His eyes. His words._ And their bond. Time had passed, countless events had occurred, yet nothing had changed between them. He was still Ash. She was still Sabrina. And their bond still held the same meaning.

_Good morniiing, Ash~!_ she chimed with her heart, using her earned Empathy to express the loving happiness felt inside herself, _It's quite a handsome interior in there. I'm glad to have it as my first morning view._ She winked and vanished from view again, pathetically embarrassed of her returned flirt. The forward tries at attraction were far too honest for her heart to handle. She wasn't sure if she could ever become used to speaking in such a manner.

Flirting was a recent development within their relationship, created in the last covert mission they had accomplished together. And like all other developments within their bond, no one outside of it was aware of it – no one needed to concern themselves over it. How they spoke with one another, responded to one another, reacted towards one another, grew with one another – was for their eyes, ears, hearts, and minds only. For others, Ash would remain as Ash, and Sabrina would continue being Sabrina – yet together they always seemed too unsettling as a 'couple'. But for each other, the word 'couple' held an incorrect association – one that involved cultural and sociological structures and perceptions within a relationship. 'Boyfriend' and 'girlfriend' didn't describe them. 'Husband' and 'wife' couldn't define them. The terms meant little to their connection and understanding, as their attachment was held as something beyond physical limitations and definitions. And with no physical requirement or attribution, the action known as 'flirting' was simply a childish game that the two played in private. Not as a couple, but as 'bonded individuals'. Within that respect, it only concerned themselves – and meant nothing to those uninvolved… Though they knew it would never be perceived as such. So the action of flirting, and many other actions similar in meaning and method, remained hidden from curious onlookers and eavesdroppers.

For now, however, they could be Ash and Sabrina. Void of expectations and misunderstandings.

The Psychic reappeared by Ash's side and excitedly pressed her forehead against his. Her cheeks shined bright red, as did his. She pulled away and blinked at him curiously, comparing his height to memory. _Have you gotten taller?_

_I'm not sure. Maybe I'm just happy to see you._ he joked and held back a chuckle.

The insinuating joke took time to process in her distracted mind. When its meaning was finally deciphered, her entire face burned red. She covered her cheeks and looked away shyly. _A-Ash! You –! Dirty joke! Don't say that!_ She hiccupped a small laugh despite her scolding. Physicality wasn't held as highly within their bond, but it still held a significant symbol to them individually.

That fact revealed itself to be consistently true no matter the subject or party involved when her turned attention caught sight of the sleeping fighter. _Maylene…_ Sabrina never cared to be Ash's girlfriend or even bride, finding satisfaction in their beyond-physical bond, but she was well-aware of what the title 'girlfriend' meant for his direct and indirect physically-affected relationship with her. She frowned and returned her focus to Ash. Though she felt pained from his risked acceptance of the pink-haired woman's emotional and cultural investment, she remained strong in her trust for his decisions – only finding annoyance and inconvenience to be the end result of such choices. _You had to pick the one with the nulling-ability, didn't you?_

The male Empathic shrugged. _That's just how it ended up._

_Fate must always deal you strange cards, it seems._ Sabrina sighed. _If she ever becomes too curious and finds about the inner-workings of our bond, you understand that she will try to throw me out of your life permanently, correct?_

…_Am I supposed to tell her about our bond?_

_No, but one of the other girls will more than likely pry into it and spread it. And with no guarantees within such underhanded and sneaky company, I know that this is a high probability._

Ash bumped her shoulder teasingly. _You're one to talk. You've been sneaking around Hearthome City, spying on us. And you probably knew about the Hunters._

_I don't aim to cause mistrust within your friendships, Ash. That's the difference. And I was going to do something about those Hunters… eventually._

_So you did know!_

_How else was I going to separate you from the rest of the group?_

_You planned on them capturing me?_

_I was planning on them being a perfect excuse for your sudden disappearance._ Sabrina admitted with a hidden smile – slightly proud of her plan's hidden intentions, despite its failure. _Honestly I thought you would've handled them well enough – but I didn't expect the blonde to be there. That ruined whatever ideas I originally had. And I especially didn't think Maylene would be irresponsible enough to leave you to fight two Hunters by yourself. Even if I didn't know she was your 'girlfriend' then, I still expected her to protect you at all costs. Miscalculations. I'm sure I can thank the girl from Alto Mare for that one._

Ash laughed nervously, not fully knowing who was at fault for their capture at this point. _W-Well anyways… what did you need me separated for?_

_We found something rather interesting in the Empire's records. Before I make any decisions to act on it, I wanted your opinion first, and to see if you wanted to help me._

_What did you find?_

_Well first, __**Sato, please cover for Ash.**_ Sabrina's friendly countenance sharpened into its 'normal' expression of frozen solemnity. _**Secondly, I will be adjusting your current plans accordingly for this. We will speak about this at a more convenient time and place.**_

Despite the sudden change and request, Ash followed the orders immediately, knowing full well what was occurring: Someone was coming, and they could no longer continue being themselves in their presence. Breathing out, the young man's body grew slightly and his features matured into adulthood as his elder conscious was brought to the fore.

In seconds the atmosphere of the tree house fluctuated drastically. Buizel had approached the two in curious greeting, his brushing tail waking a fighter from her slumber. Maylene's reacted sneeze mutated into a half-shout, as she suddenly noticed Sabrina's appearance. Bianca woke up to the panicked sound and clumsily stumbled through the kitchen, dragging several utensils and cookware off the shelves with her coat of blankets. Berries bounced and rolled across the floors, catching the attention of a hungry Machoke – who tripped against Pignite's leg and onto Sceptile's lap in his attempt to catch a runaway berry. The bringer of the lost berries, Melody, reached for the nearest weapons in alarm, noticing an Empire-uniformed woman standing within her home.

Sato greeted everyone a good morning.

* * *

The pattern of vines crisscrossed strangely around the other. They had a natural look to them, yet were too conveniently positioned to have been a work of nature. A single vine's path to the leaf-thick treetops would disappear perfectly into the shadows. Bridge-like branch formations and large platform-like nests decorated the uppermost section of the perennial plant, yet all seemed to blend and meld into naturally-placed penumbras and obscurities.

Four previous and two more following trees seemed to share the same characteristics. It was obvious that the forest's plant life had been carefully adjusted to help concealed travel along the treetop passages. But where the passages led to and what relative safety they held remained unknown. Discouraging any research were the masterfully hidden sensors embedded in uncountable nooks and crannies throughout the area. Their assigned functions and who they were assisting were also mysteries that could not be immediately solved. The only thing that could be known was that whoever had placed them, and whoever had adjusted the greenery to their advantage, was far too careful and paranoid of anyone that intruded in their property. What that person planned on doing if anyone was found walking their grounds, however, remained uncertain as well.

The answers to any curiosities and worries of the area were not likely peaceful in their details. They were intruders. And every object and item surrounding them acted as their warning signs. Unless they left soon, they were sure to be assaulted or trapped.

She reached for the device on her wrist and fidgeted with its loading mechanics, ensuring that her weapon would not jam at the worst opportune moment. Her fidgeting was shamefully loud, clinking and clanking metal repeatedly and inadvertently. Her hands were shaking. _Trembling._ Fear and nervousness were flowing through her veins at a cold and slow pace – sliding through her nerves like a gelatinous disease.

Lace bit her lip hard and winced. The pain concentrated her thoughts and emotions into silence once again, yet the tingle of the faded dread continued to float inside her arm. She pulled at her wrist and locked her arm to her side. "L-Larcos? Do you have any of those pills left?"

Dressed in faded green combat fatigues and carrying a terrifyingly casual air about him, a plain-looking man of browned eyes and hair turned in her direction. He held an uncaring expression on his face. A twitch on his left eye, however, betrayed a weakness – he was in pain. His body remained perfect in posture and laxity, but it was only through great effort. Injuries from his last battle riddled his body – injuries that should have left him unmoving on a bed. But they were denied through the Lead Hunter's pure stubbornness. "No, that was my last." Larcos responded with his normally cold tone, concealing the rasp that should have sounded from his throat.

The female Hunter frowned in disappointment – a feeling that made her wince. She tensed her muscles, hoping to suppress another wave of nervousness from overtaking her. "Dolan? You – You have any? I'm feeling things."

A large man beside her shrugged dramatically. "Nada-nada. Lacey, you cleaned me out first, remember? I told you not to take so much at once."

"I'm sorry – When –"

"Ohoho, _wow!_" A burst of shallow laughter boomed from Dolan. His overfriendly facial expression pinched tightly, almost mocking what a smile was supposed to look like. "You must be feeling a lot to say 'sorry'. I don't think I've heard you say that since the Emperor insulted you for your hair."

Her cheeks burned in embarrassment. The shameful memory was recalled too clearly and was made worse with emotions. She slapped at her cheeks repeatedly and growled in frustration. "I'm feeling all sorts of things now! This is… _This is messed up._ How can I be a Hunter if I can't clear this up?" She bit her lip again, furious at her own deteriorating dialect.

"Lace. Relax." Larcos instructed, rather than encouraged. His tone remained cold and distant, though a sense of harshness seeped quietly through. "Focus on your training first and foremost. The pills were meant to help with the focus, not replace your training."

"But –!"

"Silence!" he spat venomously. No emotions of anger or annoyance filled his heart or thoughts, only a hollowing vibration echoed inside him. Despite this lack of sensation, he expressed spite in response to the woman's voiced weakness. They had no room for weakness. No time for failure. _For another failure._ His single failure was far more than enough. "This is no time for defiance or concern over personal discomforts! There are two Aura Guardians, _TWO AURA GUARDIANS_. And both have the peculiar ability to mask their scent. While you two wasted your breaths and attentions with self-affirming discussions, our preys could have escaped these woods entirely! I will _not_ tolerate losing them. Incompetence is what let them escape their captors initially. And it is only incompetence that's allowing them to further elude us!"

"Yeesh Larc. You know I always talk like this." Dolan snorted, feeling no guilt or intimidation from his superior's verbal lashings. "And you know I'm not 'incompetent'. I've been keeping my nose and ears out all day. This forest's blank. Nothing but wild pokémon and animals crawling this far out. If they really are masked, I wouldn't be able to do anything about it. Lace is the one with the keen eyes."

"And I never halted in my search!" Lace barked angrily, "There's evidence everywhere that someone's been hiding out here. But whoever it is, they're keeping still and they're going to stay still. They won't need to move because security measures are all over the place. We'll never be able to catch them. We'll never be able to find them! Even if they're watching us right now? We'd have no way of finding out until we fell for one of their traps. _Is that why we're still walking in these woods?_ So we can just fall into one of their traps to draw them out? You realize that we won't be able to get reinforcements on time, right?!"

"I said relax yourself, Lace! If you and Dolan really have been keeping your senses out, then they couldn't have gone passed us." He turned his frustration away from her. It was the closest gesture he had ever made that resembled an apology. "These two Guardians are elusive, but we're Hunters. We're made to Hunt these abnormals no matter where or how they hide. They're running from us and they'll continue to do so – it would only be to their disadvantage if they decided to face us instead."

The female Hunter sneered at the intended message buried within his 'encouraging words'. "So we _are_ waiting until we walk into a trap of theirs!" Her eyes thinned in targeted hate. Her lips frowned in disgust. And her face heated red in fury. She cried out and lunged at him, "YOU –!"

Dolan caught the woman in mid-air and held her struggling body still. "Whoah there, firecracker. You really don't want to do that. Trust me."

"LARCOS, YOU ARROGANT, KNOW-IT-ALL, COWARDLY IDIOT! YOU STUBBORN BIGOT! YOU PATHETIC HAS-BEEN! YOU INCONSIDERATE BUFFOON!" she roared, unaware of the large arms that prevented her forward movement. "I CAN'T FEEL MY ARM BECAUSE OF YOUR LAST STUPID PLAN! IF THE MUSCLES IN MY ARM DON'T HEAL RIGHT THEY COULD BE PERMANENTLY DAMAGED! YOU KNOW THAT?! I'M GOING TO BE A REJECT BECAUSE OF YOU!"

"You won't be a reject, Lace. Even with those dead nerves of yours, you're still scoring higher in the shooting range than the rest of us."

"I don't care about _'the rest of us'_!" she hissed at Dolan, holding no fury for him, "Even if I'm the better shot than _'the rest of us'_, I still can't compare to other Hunters with my specialty! If I lose control of my abilities AND my perfect shooting record? I'm ending up as a reject! Hunters can't be demoted, remember? Only rejected! And Larcos here doesn't give –"

Lace froze; her words hushed themselves entirely at the sight of Larcos' raised hand. Dolan had fallen silent and still as well.

"_Movement. Tree ahead of us. A structure's built into its branches._" the Lead Hunter whispered and slowly moved towards cover. "_Something saw us and hid immediately after._"

"_And so we decided to hide when we saw it._" Dolan chuckled. "_So which of us is the persian and which of us is the rattata?_"

"_There's definitely a structure up there. I can't estimate how large it is, though._" Lace confirmed. "_Dolan, can you –_"

"_I'm not smelling a darn thing there. If there's something, it's hiding its energy._"

"_The Guardians._" Larcos grinned. Even now not a single sense of emotion tingled within him, yet the opportunity presented to him made his honor stiffen in delight.

"_Larcos, we need a better plan this time around._" the female Hunter warned with a growl, "_I'm not going to lose my other arm because of you. If they still have their pokémon and –_"

"_Dolan? Do you sense any humans up there?_"

"_Not even their gas._"

"_Then they don't have their pokémon._" the Lead Hunter answered, showing the concern to be irrelevant. "_We left the pokémon with the male Guardian's partner. And if you did your job correctly, they shouldn't have met each other so soon._"

Lace grabbed Larcos by the collar and pinned him against a nearby tree. It was the first time she had ever laid a finger on her superior, but his stubborn pride had cost her the full use of her left arm. She had no respect for a man that believed her loss to be trivial in the 'grand scheme of things'. She had no care to follow the command of someone who was willing to sacrifice her health and safety so easily. "_Larcos. We barely got out of the last fight alive._"

"_Speak for yourself._"

"_Shut it, Dolan!_" she spat and returned her attention to the crippled man in her grip, "_Pokémon or no pokémon, they're still Aura Guardians. I know we're Hunters, but we could barely stand after a fight with just ONE of them!_"

"_Technically –_"

"_I SAID SHUT IT, DOLAN! …Larcos. We NEED reinforcements. This would be an entirely different situation if we found the two Guardians injured and cornered. But right now, they have the advantage. We're more injured than they are and we're not fully aware of what they're equipped with. We won't stand a chance against them._" Her arms loosened, slowly letting his feet touch the forest floor. "_I know you have your pride. I have my pride too. If it were up to me, I wouldn't call for reinforcements just so there'd be no witness to what I want to do to them. They made a mockery of our reputation and profession. You __**know**__ I want their heads. But that's not up to me. That's not up to us. And it certainly can't be done by us. We're going to lose this fight if we go in there alone. We need to call for support. We NEED support. We can't succeed on our own this time. And success it what matters to you most, isn't it?_"

Larcos' heartless eyes glared at the woman's expressive features. By many respects, his subordinate Lace was a considerably beautiful woman. In his younger, emotion-filled years, he would have worshipped a female of her attributes. But his training to become a Hunter had rid him of visual desires. Her naturally-fierce auburn eyes, perfectly sculpted cheeks, and welcoming red lips held no charm for him. In his hermetic view of her, he found the gracing features to be unnecessary and unremarkable. And with the facial movements now affected by her unbound emotions, he found her looks to be repulsive. His only attraction to her, her once flawlessly functional body, had been marred entirely. He had previously held hope in its recovery, but an undeniable weakness was felt in her arms when she had lifted him from the ground. It was a detestable revelation to her ever-diminishing state.

Lace would never recover, and she was doomed to becoming a reject. _A pity… You had so much potential. But fret not, I'll ensure that you'll never have to live with that shame._ "_Very well, Lace. We will call-in for support. However, the Guardians will seek escape for as long as we remain hidden. They will realize that we are stalling if we do not do something immediately._"

"_We going to surround them?_" Dolan peeked out from cover and scanned the environment.

"_No, we are going to distract them. By staging an assault._"

"_That's… _That's your plan?!" Lace struck the tree beside her with her fist. "_That's the same as fighting them without reinforcements! No, that isn't the same as. That IS fighting them without reinforcements! Lar–_"

"_I never mentioned fighting. I only mentioned staging. They will believe they are under attack, and we will approach them in close quarters, but we will mostly remain defensive. We may not be able to succeed in a battle against two Guardians, but we will be successful as their distraction._"

"_And if they set up a trap for us?_"

"_That will require vigilance and teamwork to avoid. I will not allow us to be so foolishly separated this time._" Larcos assured with an unfeeling smile.

"…_Then I agree with this. Plan?_"

"_Straightforward, simple, but effective. Lace, you're up first. Charge the tree and either force them out of hiding or infiltrate. Dolan will be paces behind you, ensuring your safety and will be your immediate backup. I will make my feint last, ensuring that you two are not immediately trapped. Keep your distance, use obstacles to keep them from harming you, and don't allow any of your strikes to hit. As long as they believe they hold an advantage, they won't use their Aura recklessly. If we fight safe, they will as well. After we have gained their attention, we will lure them out to the open and continue the battle until reinforcements arrive._"

"_And when do we call for reinforcements?_"

"_As soon as you begin your charge, I will make the call._"

"_No. Dolan makes the call. I don't trust you._"

"_Very well. Dolan?_"

The large man bared his teeth, attempting to grin, and waved his radio. "_Got your back, Lacey Dacey._"

The female Hunter stared at him nervously. His expression never changed, and no clue could be found in his eyes. She sighed. It was futile to find evidence of trustworthiness in a person completely detached from emotions. "_…Okay. Let's begin._" Lace nodded to herself and walked away from the safety of the trees, positioning herself in the open grass. "Dolan. Make the call. _Emperor protect me._" With one last bite of her lip, she dashed towards the Guardians' hideaway.

…

"You think the Guardians can survive that?" Dolan asked without looking him in the eye. He turned off his radio, no longer pretending to find a support frequency. "I've seen something with less boom take out an entire squad."

Larcos leaned back against the tree and slowly breathed out. "If it were anything less, the Guardians' barriers would have halted it entirely. If we need the Guardians alive, but we need to ensure that they are incapacitated, then an explosive of that strength should be enough." He held out his wrist and revealed the watch underneath. "Forty-three seconds."

Dolan watched as Lace climb the Guardians' tree with slight difficulty due to her handicapped arm. His eyes moved down to the belt loop of her slacks. Attached to one of its rings was a small device that flickered red – placed on her person without her notice. Each three blinks of its insignificant light signified a second. And seconds were passing by quickly. "And if the Guardians don't put up a barrier?"

"Then she'll be a successful martyr. And our reinforcements can act as the clean-up crew."

"If that happens, when should I call?"

"Now would be a good time. When they arrive, they can be witnesses to our second capture."

"Sounds sound to me." Dolan repowered his radio and turned through the frequencies. "By the way, I'm not sure if I should call you uncreative or consistent. Using the same trick on her that you used on our ol' buddy Tailus? It's like watching a rerun."

"I saved Tailus from the shame of being rejected. I am doing the same for her. Seventeen seconds."

"Don't try it on me. Make mine special. Something more dramatic. Unique and memorable. Maybe a complicated one that involves some sort of back-sto– Oh dear. How many seconds?"

"Five. Four."

"It's been a wild ride, Larc." The large man sighed and watched the explosive device fall into the patch of grass between them. Its red light continued to flicker. "Huh, you're a few seconds o–"

The forest was set ablaze.

* * *

_SABRINA!_

_**I can see. It seems they are closer to finding us than I initially assumed. We must hurry to our destination. Do you know of any quicker routes?**_

_I… No! Sabrina! We go back! My home!_

_**We cannot go back. They are searching for the both of you. If we were to return, one of you will more than likely be captured. For your sake and Ash's, forget what you have left behind.**_

Melody frowned and stared at the Psychic in despair. Sabrina showed no reaction, remaining eerily expressionless. Seconds passed before the female Guardian turned away and faced the glaring flames that lit the night sky. 'M-y-H-o-m-e' she desperately traced with shaking nerves onto Ash's opened palm, 'H-a-t-B-e-l-o-n-g-T-o-R-i-l-e-y-G-o-n-e' Her hand clasped onto his, needing his sense of Aura to comfort her.

Ash locked eyes with Sabrina. _Sabrina…_

_**No, Ash. It's too dangerous.**_

"Don't even think about it." Maylene responded to his suggesting look before he could speak, "I'm not going to lose you twice."

Bianca kept her attention elsewhere, refusing to enter the consensus.

…

'I-A-m-S-o-r-r-y-M-e-l-o-d-y' he wrote slowly, expressing his apology and low spirits with light strokes, 'W-e-H-a-v-e-T-o-K-e-e-p-M-o-v-i-n-g'

The female Guardian half-nodded, conceding to the group's decision. She winced away from the heartbreaking view and stared off into the darkening distance ahead of them. A faint glow of blue peeking through the thick trees marked the destination that she had agreed to take them to: Valor Lights. With a sigh, she continued her promised duty.

Bittersweet scents wafted in the air as the winds suddenly blew in their direction. The scents were a fusion of dark wood, sap, and brown sugar burning under the powerful fires. However, Melody knew all too well that there were no brown sugars to be found within her former forest home… it was the smell of burning honey.

Her heart tore at the recognition. The honey had belonged to the golden leafed trees of Sinnoh. They were rarities – often sought after by adventurers and mostly unknown to common folk – so few in number that they had yet to receive a name of their own. But Riley had always called them 'Honey Oaks'. He had said that it was once tradition for travelers all across the region to leave written wishes and prayers at the trees' roots after placing honey into its bark – in the hopes that they could be granted good luck and blessings for their journeys.

'_One day I'll take you to see one. And we'll leave our own wishes there.'_

'_W-h-a-t-Y-o-u-r-W-i-s-h-R-i-l-e-y-?'_

'_For my life to count.' 'T-o-M-a-k-e-D-i-f-f-e-r-e-n-c-e'_

It was a wish that was granted. She wondered if that smell of brown sugar was evidence that Riley had left behind his own wish before he had met his fate at Valor Lake. For honey to have remained untouched over the years would have been improbable, but it would have explained the miracle he had made that became the Valor Lights. Valor Lights was a permanent evidence of Riley's actions and life for all the world to see. Whether or not others had known who was the one responsible mattered little – Riley had made his life count. Riley had made a difference.

Tears welled up in her eyes. Pride, sorrow, and shame engulfed Melody's thoughts. She felt pride for her master's last moments and the legacy it had left behind. She felt sorrow for losing his last remaining material belongings, familiar items that were evidence of the life they shared with one another, within the fires. And she felt shame for being a weak and ineffective Guardian in comparison. She had survived him, and that was her only accomplishment. In all other trials and attempts, she was merely a symbol and myth that others feared – yet her actions achieved little in permanence. For every Agent, Hunter, and enemy she had rid of, two more appeared. For every small trade and operation she had halted, ten more were successful. For every plan and schedule she had troubled, hundreds more remained untouched. On her own, she had failed. And the burning forest was now ridding the last traces of success she had accomplished with Riley.

She lightly pressed her arm against the male Empathic's. Her hand gripped tighter around his. The embracing action was something that only married couples were smiled upon for doing, but Melody had known it to be also done by children with their parents. Ash was nothing like a parent figure to her, but his Aura gave her a reminiscent sense of paternal comfort. It reminded her of Riley. He had been the only Guardian she had met in her current life, one that acted as her sole guide and comfort in her road to become like him, until Ash appeared – and now Ash had taken his place as her soothing figure. She knew it to be selfish to use him in such a way, but she had no one else to turn to.

Anxiety poisoned her spirit. The open grasslands of Valor Lake's vicinity felt far too exposed and threatening than what she was normally used to. Prior to this, thick trees and obscuring shadows had always been her shields against the watchful eyes of strangers. Now she traveled separate from the inanimate protectors, requiring spacious areas in order to quickly navigate to Valor Lights. It was by the request of Ash's friends that she had taken this route, and she had sacrificed her comfort zone in order to give them what they needed. However, she gained little in return. Her time was now spent within an unknown group dynamic, distancing herself from all things she was familiar with, and losing control of her life as she remained mute to a chorus of spoken-voiced commands. She was fast approaching an unknown future full of many more individuals who couldn't easily speak to her deafness. There would be many more conferences and plans made that she would never be able to understand due to the different language culture she had been raised in. There would be many more intentions and desires ahead of her that she would never be able to comprehend due to the incomparable life that had altered her way of perceiving others. And she would only be washed away by this future, left to drown in the torrent of indiscernible events and happenings due to her disability.

Except when she felt Ash's Aura.

No individual in the team could naturally communicate with her deafness. Even the Psychic 'S-a-b-r-i-n-a' seemed to have difficulty understanding her "simplified" thoughts and phrases when her mind was read. All within the group had no accustomed form of communicating with her – which had made her feel increasingly alienated as an individual.

Except when she felt Ash's Aura.

As she understood it, Psychics could speak and understand with unclouded thoughts and Empathics could decipher and communicate with pure emotions. Every sentient creature held some form of thought or emotion. And every sentient creature had Aura as well.

Unlike its counterparts, Aura was said to be absolute will – having no clear sense of control or translation. It was not an energy meant to be communicated with, but an energy meant to push one into communication and other actions. By any analytical standpoint, it could not be 'understood', as understanding was restricted to emotions and thought, not will. However, Melody was sure that she could 'speak' with Ash through Aura. It was why she had always felt safe and familiar with him.

His words were never clear, and she was never fully sure if she could consider them 'words', but there was a unique language of 'want' and 'need' that could be felt from his presence. As an Aura Guardian, she could feel it intensely. His clumsy tactile traces and strange hand signals were awkward to comprehend, but the energy that emanated from his person helped in its soundless interpretations. And even without signing or writing, she could sense his wordless voice 'speaking' to her.

'We'll make him proud.' she felt him say without intending a single word. A reference to Riley. An encouragement to move forward.

It was what she wanted to know, what she needed to know. And it made her calm as long as he continued to 'say' it to her. So she continued to hold his arm, breathing in his comforting Aura… convincing herself that she wasn't intruding on Ash and Maylene's relationship through her closeness. _I only need comfort. Nothing more. Ash wants me comforted. Only he can. Not romantic. From care and heart, but not from desire over one another._

She looked over Ash's shoulder and watched the pink-haired woman continue to walk beside him. Despite being near a freed arm, Maylene showed no sign of wanting to hold his hand, elbow, or forearm. And with no visual signs of aggression, it seemed that the fighter had no concern of another woman holding her husband the way Melody did. _Ash and May strange couple. More partners than husband and wife. But only with culture. By heart, they very close._

Ash blinked at Melody curiously. _…Eh? He understand my thought?_ She blinked back at him. The male Guardian only smiled in response. His smile gave her a strange reaction. For a single moment in time, a unique scent entered Melody's nose, lasting as long as she gazed into his expression. The scent had no odor, yet it sent a satisfying tingle throughout her body. Her eyes widened and her thoughts blanked. Ash turned away shortly after, following the path that the female Guardian had originally mapped for them.

Melody continued her stare, though eventually loosened her gaze. She looked away in shame, throwing out the thoughts that had briefly appeared in her mind. _…Maylene… very lucky._

Sabrina jabbed at Ash's thoughts. _**You realize what just occurred, right?**_

_I didn't mean for that to happen, I swear!_ the Empathic winced and mentally waved his hands to plead innocence. _I just could've sworn she said something to me. Something about Maylene._

_**I heard no such thing in her thoughts or emotions.**_ The Psychic's energy weighed heavily around his shoulders. Though more curious than threatening, its implied attention was almost accusatory in tone. _**Unless of course you two have formed something…**__ different?_

_No way. I just met her. Er… Just met her in this reality, that is. Besides, if anything, it might be Aura. I've never felt anything like it before. Well, not since that riolu I met a long time ago._

_**I was not aware that you could speak to one another with Aura.**_

_It's not really speaking. I'm not really sure how to explain it._

_**Well, whatever the case, you honestly should be more wary of how you treat the people you meet. Especially one that has remained alone for so long. Once they meet a good friend that can understand them, it is difficult to make them detach from any infatuations.**_

_I know. I just –_

_**There was a joke in there.**_ Sabrina interrupted with a slight smirk. _…I was actually referring to myself._

_Huh? … Oh. OH!_ Ash scratched at his hair in embarrassment. _I just got it._

_**In seriousness,**_ Sabrina's voice returned to its original mature state, _**you should be more wary of how you treat Melody. She is growing quite attached to you. This will complicate matters with Maylene… and May, especially. I am sure that she would have never expected to find another female Guardian in your life.**_

_Y-Yeah… That's going to be a problem._

_**And to include to our problems: I still cannot read Bianca. In her heart and mind she is suspiciously quiet. Not once has she revealed her inner self. If she is planning against us, then I would sug–**_

_She isn't. I think she's just heavy in thought. She asked me a weird question last night…_

_**Ah. Then do not bother to tell me the question.**_

_Hm? You haven't pulled the question out of my thoughts yet?_

_**I do not wish to. Depending on the question, I may or may not find Bianca to be a larger threat than she already is. Slow as her mind is, she is still a Leanne. And I do not trust Leannes. It would be in your best interest to not tell me in order to protect her wellbeing.**_

_It's not really that bad of a question._

_**You may also be underestimating the question. But dismiss those worries for now. I believe we are in a good enough distance to discuss what I have been meaning to tell you.**_

_Right! You said something about needing my help with something?_

_**Yes… We can finish our current mission first, but after that… I would… I'd like to go back to Saffron City.**_

Ash nearly stopped in his tracks – though Melody's distracted walking continued his steps with an unintended pull. _Huh? Saffron? That's a long trip from here! I thought we were focusing ourselves in Sinnoh and spreading out from there. Why travel that far so suddenly?_

Sabrina struck at his mind again. _**Ash Ketchum, please do not play the blind fool. I know you are aware of why I wish to go back. The Hearthome Resistance was very skilled in their ability to gather information.**_

_Of course I'm aware. I've seen the reports of the Psychics of Saffron City holding their own against the Empire. But is that really enough reason to go back? Even if they have a common enemy, it doesn't mean they'll help us fight them. The reports also stated that they only protect Psychics, not create any offense against the Empire._

…_**Is that all? Is that all you have found out?**_

_Yes. Well, other than a few maps here and there of the area._

_**Then the Resistance has found no trace of a 'transmission' from Saffron City recently?**_

_No. What transmission?_

Sabrina shifted from view, reappearing directly behind Ash. With a careful touch, she placed her hand over the rear of his neck and closed her eyes. A powerful thought-fueled message shouted in Ash's mind, made loud from an uncountable amount of voices speaking at once. The voices were slightly unclear, as if made blurry or muffled from traveling a vast distance – yet their message was unmistakable:

_**Mistress. Have you returned?**_

* * *

"_What in goodness happened here?_" Maya whispered as she crawled to the next bush. The forested area around her was discolored into shades of black, grey, and faded khaki. Ashes and specs of random material floated through the air. Several more of the mixed debris puffed and jumped with every impact her limbs made with the dried ground. Shuffling herself beside Domino, she peeked over the charred log and viewed the activity across from them. "_Do you think Sabrina was involved with this?_"

The double agent raised her brow. "Shouldn't you know? You've got Empathy, Froufrou. Use it." she spoke at a normal volume, confident in the distance put between them and their foes.

Maya rolled her eyes at the nickname. "_I __**am**__ using it. But no one here was present when the fires started. They're just as confused as we are._" She focused and let loose her Empathy once again, making sure that she hadn't missed any details.

Beyond their hiding spot lay a blackened crater of notable size. Standing and searching amongst its jagged diameter were men and women of dark colored uniforms and bored expressions. The stylized 'R'-badge located at the heart of their tops signified that they were members of the Empire. Without additional markings, their ranks were within the lower range of hierarchy. Even without holding significance by title, they were still seen as dangerous threats that were to be avoided at all costs. With or without higher distinction, they were still well-equipped and fiercely-trained soldiers of the Empire. Skillful, deadly, _bored_ soldiers of the Empire.

Any group or individuals of higher rank had left the area hours before, leaving the menials to snuff out the last fading embers of the disaster zone, as well as to search for any remaining evidences. However, there were no evidences left to be found. What the fire had not taken, the specialists and Elite members had stolen away with – leaving nothing for the unranked soldiers to accomplish during their assigned time in the burnt-down woods. And without work, many of them wandered aimlessly and carelessly throughout the area, concerning themselves over trivial matters and undirected questions… which was of no help to the powerful Empathic's reading.

"_I'm definitely sure no one here was present when the fires started, or even when it ended._" Maya sighed. "_Most of them are just waiting for their shift to be over and… Oh. Wait._"

Domino sat up from her lax position. "Huh? What? What is it?"

"…_One of them is noticing something peculiar about the crater… Bomb… Hunter… Hunters!_" The Empathic turned towards Domino in urgency. "_Dominique… There were Hunters here. The bomb that caused the fire could have only belonged to a Hunter._"

"Then that means Ash was here."

"_And that means he's still in trouble._" Maya frowned and began her Empathic search once again, hoping to find more clues. The sense of an incoming energy made her halt in her efforts. "_Latias is back. And others._"

A portion of clear space distorted and transformed into a pokémon of red and white, which quickly shifted itself into the human form that it preferred most. It turned towards the orange-haired Empathic and nodded. _Maya._

_Latias. Any news?_

_Not so much news as it may be our new lead._ The illusion of Leanne moved aside and revealed a group of four quickly sneaking towards them.

Two were instantly recognizable: May and Angie ducked and slid through the obstacle course of fallen logs and shattered earth. Between them hung two other figures that were difficult to identify. The two were being carried by the Ramie counterparts, their loose movements hinting to some disorientation or weakness. Details such as facial features and height would be obscured and confused as May and Angie would pull and jerk them repeatedly in order to stay hidden from any passing Empire soldier.

As the four finally reached a close enough distance, one of them was tossed roughly onto the ground between Maya and Domino. The body crashed and rolled into a stop, unresisting to the poor treatment. Maya stared at the weakened person curiously. Long, brown hair, with frayed singes at some of its tips. Casual camouflage top. Darkened khaki slacks, also showing singe marks. Whoever this person was, they wore clothing to perfectly blend with the forest, and they had traces of burns to reveal that they had been a victim to the fires that raged the night before. "_Who is this?_" she asked as she slowly turned the figure onto its back.

A gasp escaped her lips when the person's face was finally revealed.

"_That woman's a Hunter._" a voice growled weakly.

"Casey?" Domino flinched at the sight of the baseball enthusiast. "What are you doing here?"

"_Same reason you're here, of course._" Casey nodded to May in appreciation as she was carefully set against torn stump. She regarded her blond-haired counterpart with a grin. "_Saving Ash from Sabrina, right?_"

"Where is he?"

She shrugged. "_No clue. By the time I arrived, they already abandoned the area. Sabby left her transmitter up in this hidden tree house that used to be a few yards from here. Not sure how long she's been gone since she left the darn thing. I was going to search for some clues, maybe some footsteps left behind, when suddenly a group of Hunters appeared out of nowhere._"

Domino's brow raised in disbelief. "You handled a group of Hunters by yourself? When did you become such a threat?"

"_No way. I only took out one that was climbing a ladder up to the tree house._" She tilted her chin, gesturing at the unconscious female on the floor. "_Knocked her out before she even knew I was there. I need a new bat, by the way._"

"What about the rest of them?"

"_Funny thing about that… Hunter girl here was strapped with a bomb. I don't think she noticed that it was on her. Her friends must've been using her to take me out. Or at least take Ash out – if they thought he was up there with me. And well… I kind of batted the bomb out the nearest window. Wherever it landed, it must've scared the other Hunters into running – because no one came charging at me after the explosion went off. No one even came looking for me after that tree house came crumbling down._"

"You think you pegged the other Hunters with the bomb?"

Casey blinked in surprise. "_Huh. I never thought about that. That'd be one heckuva' divine intervention if that happened._"

"That'd also mark your first kills." Domino grinned. "Congrats, you've got blood on your hands."

Casey's face turned pale. "_Wh-What? No way… There's no way I could've done that, right?_"

"Oh don't look so worried! It's not that big of a dea–"

"_Casey._" Maya interrupted. "_Who is this?_"

"_Hm?_" The purple-haired young woman turned and stared at the Empathic. Maya was looking over the unconscious female in disturbed concern. "_That's the Hunter who came at me._"

"_I know that… but…_" Her hands reached down and adjusted the Hunter's hair. "_I think I've seen her before. I think I know her. Or… maybe not me. One of me does._"

"_Well I wouldn't know. She doesn't look familiar to me at all._"

"Then why did you save her?" Domino shook her head and kicked at the woman's unmoving body. "Hunters are more trouble alive… Unless, of course, this one happens to know where Ash and Sabrina ran off to."

"Wait a minute!" May popped into the conversation excitedly, holding no care for her loud volume. "Can't Hunters sniff out things like Aura and Empathy? I know that Ash and Sabrina can hide their abilities, but maybe…"

"Wouldn't work. With Sabrina around, she'll mask even leftover traces of any energy. Though… that _does_ give me an idea." Domino patted the Coordinator's shoulder in thanks. "See, Sabrina can only mask obvious energies. But Hunters can smell even the minutest traces of Aura, Empathy, and Psyche in a normal human. It's how they can tell if a person has the capability of becoming an Empathic or Psychic through dormant energies."

"They can?"

"It's part of their job description. They're trained not only to hunt… 'abnormals', as they like to call them, but also those who will grow up to be one. Anyways, what I was trying to get at was that they can sniff out 'normal' humans too. It's not as clear for them as it is when they're hunting down 'abnormals', but I doubt there's many other humans this far out in the woods, right? So unless Sabrina taught dunderhead our trick, we should be able to find Ash through Bianca."

"Trick? What trick?" Angie asked suddenly from her seated position behind them. She hadn't involved herself with the group's discussions, finding her concerns to be on other matters she wasn't willing to voice, but Domino's nonchalant mention of 'our trick' had caught her attention.

The two Quinn counterparts looked at each other before nodding. Casey sat up. "_We can mask our 'normal' energies. A trick we learned while being attached as Quinn. It helped us sneak around the Empire's bases without notice._"

"So that's why Dolan couldn't smell you out."

The team froze. The Hunter's eyes were open, glaring at each of them in spite. Her sight stopped and targeted on a specific figure amongst them. "Agent Violet… I always had the feeling you were given your promotion too quickly for a new member. I'm not sure how no one noticed you were a spy to begin with."

"Do I know you?"

"Oh not at all. But I know all about you. I know when someone's threatening my position as a Hunter. Thankfully, now that I know you're just a double agent, I can just rat you out." Her eyes winced. A sharp blade was quickly placed against her neck.

Domino held her signature tulip weapon in place, threatening with slight pushes. A trickle of blood seeped from the Hunter's skin and laced her tulip's edge. "You seriously think I'm going to let you go alive?"

"You certainly haven't killed me yet."

"You've got the wrong idea. My purple-headed friend didn't save you to be friends. She's just a softy when it comes to getting her hands dirty. If I do you in, it won't be on her guilt."

"So then kill me. Because if you aren't going to let me go, I'd rather you kill me now. Hunters don't get treated well after being held prisoner, you see."

The former Agent glared at her before turning towards Casey. The two shared silent stares and gestures before Domino let go of her victim. "Alright miss… How about we strike a deal then?"

Lace smirked and tapped at her chin. "Dealing with the enemy… Not usually my style, but if the deal's good enough I might be willing to change perspectives."

"Alright then… Deal is: We can let you go, and you can go running back towards your base, in exchange for…"

"Wait, how do we know she won't just alert the soldiers around here?" May voiced her worry.

"Let me finish, Bandanas." Domino knocked her sideways and began again, "So… We can let you go. You can run back to your base OR you can even try your hand at getting these low-class goons to help you take us out. But please do realize: We just escaped the clutches of over two hundred Empire Elites back in Pastoria City. If even one of us lives to tell the tale this time around, your Boss is going to get some 'evidence' that _you're_ the traitor. Unlike you, I've been planning for something like this since I started. And I've got enough files to put a no-name Hunter like you up for execution. …Remember: I'm a double agent. _You're just a trained liar._"

The blond-haired woman waited seconds to allow the words to sink in before continuing, "Knowing that, either of those choices can be traded for just one honest answer as to where the Aura Guardian you were chasing ran off to. His non-ability associate should be possible to track, yes? …Oh, and please don't try lying. Otherwise, I let Froufrou here have a go at you. Hint: She can peel your training's shields like they were just hiding a banana."

"_Actually, there won't be any need for that._" Maya chimed in. "_I can feel her emotions very clearly._"

"Oh? A Hunter who can't control their own emotions?" Domino smirked. "No wonder you're scared of me taking your title. You're on the road to being a reject, dear."

"Whatever. Just kill me already." The female Hunter raised her head, exposing her neck. "I can't accept your deal even if I wanted to. Unlike what you commoners think, not every Hunter can smell out their prey. Only specific ones can. And I can't. I can't even tell if any of you are abnormal."

Domino shrugged. "_Well, I guess that settles it._" A dirtied rag was pulled out from one of her belt's pockets, readied to cover the Hunter's nose and mouth. She raised her tulip once again. "Everyone look away, I don't really care to make this pretty."

Lace stiffened, her breaths quickened in panic as she prepared for her execution.

Maya's eyes widened at the sight. The female Hunter's movement had adjusted her hair slightly away from her face, curling and forming parted bangs against her cheeks in a way that seemed to look far more natural on her. The biting of her lip had thinned the amount of lipstick that was shown, shrinking her mouth visually to a size that was strangely familiarizing. Even more reminding were the two perfectly formed strands of hair that separated away from the back length and sat over her shoulders and chest. Though these changes were far too slight to be considered real alterations, they had transformed the woman's looks completely. "Wait!" Maya called out and held Domino's hands from completing its slash.

Her pathetically weak hold wouldn't have been enough to prevent Domino, but the former Agent had stopped herself in reaction to the halting call. "What is it, Froufrou? This better be good."

"_I…_ I know who she is!" Maya pressed her eyelids shut, painfully trying to recall a name. In a flash of light, she separated herself, throwing Dawn and Anabel away from her position.

Misty now held Domino's hands in place, with a considerably stronger grip. "Her name's Giselle. Ash and I met her before… at a Technical School back in Kanto."

Lace slowly lowered her head in curiosity and glared at Misty. She was shocked to find three new women where one had originally sat, but she was far more surprised by the strange mention. "I've never met you in my life. But… how do you know that name?"

"If she doesn't remember you, then it doesn't count." Domino readied her bladed tulip again.

The Water Trainer blocked her from her intended victim. "It counts if she's here for a reason." She looked over her shoulder and eyed the Hunter. "Giselle. Are you originally from here? This region, I mean."

"…_No._ No, I'm not."

"Kanto region?"

"_Near Vermillion City…_ Why does this matter?"

"Why _does_ this matter?" Domino sighed and sheathed her weapon into a hidden pocket.

"On the news, when Iris first showed herself on TV, calling herself Dragon," Misty preceded her answer with reminding details, "She said she was from Unova. And that she traveled to Sinnoh in order to fight the Empire."

"Yeah? What of it?"

"She was still from Unova. Yet she appeared here. History could have changed it so that she was born in Sinnoh rather than in Unova since she was already located here when everything changed."

"…And?"

"That means she isn't originally from Sinnoh. That means she had to travel to Sinnoh." she repeated in order to emphasize. "So why Sinnoh exactly? From the information we've gathered, the Empire's not housed in this region. This is just one of the regions they 'police' over. There would be no reason for Iris to target Sinnoh first if she could have headed towards where the Empire's main base of operations is."

"Except for the reason that Sinnoh is closer to Unova than the other regions? And that she would need to pass through here first before moving into other territories?"

"Which would make sense if it weren't for the fact that Operation Beta is still made of the original members of Gary's team – and none of them are from the Sinnoh region, and only one other of them is from the Unova region. Then consider the fact that Giselle here is from the Kanto region, yet ended up being a Hunter in Sinnoh. Doesn't that sound a little too convenient?"

"Convenient for what? Those are by far the most loosely connected facts you can gather to make a point that would stop me from killing her."

Misty straightened her back and exhaled. Though Domino didn't share the keen intelligence of the Quinns, she inherited the original's skepticism. It was a trait that all Mayas had trouble dealing with, as they were far more dependent on 'inklings' and intuition than blind facts. "What I'm trying to say is: Giselle may have been sent here to help us out. Why else would she be so conveniently brought to this region while we were here?"

"It's convenient, but it's also a coincidence. It's a convenient coincidence."

"…So is someone going to execute me?" Lace asked, annoyed and slightly confused. She watched as the two women bicker over conjectures and concepts that would have had merit or sense if she had understood what the original context was. "Excuse me? Anyone?" Her attempts to gain notice were drowned out as the argument escalated and involved other members of the party. Even the silent blonde in the corner seemed excited to enter the discussion – though how others understood her without her speaking a word, the Hunter had no clue. "_…I guess I'll just be going then._" She began to crawl away. A leg shoved her back into a sitting position.

"I don't think we ever decided whether or not you could leave." Angie stood above her menacingly, patting the back of a battle-ready pikachu on her shoulder.

Lace didn't seem threatened. She only looked at the young woman with bored indifference. "And how long does it usually take for them to make a decision? Because I can kill myself right now if you're not going to make one anytime soon." The Hunter checked her wrists and forearms, realizing that her attached weapons were missing. "…You wouldn't happen to have my darts, would you? I just need the red one."

Angie sighed and casually sat next to her. The pikachu seemed to copy her sigh and lax attitude. "_No._" the tomboy yawned. "And honestly these fights usually go by faster when Maylene's around. Without her, I don't think Domino ever shuts up."

"Seriously. This could take a while." May sat to the other side of her. "Name's May, by the way." She held out her hand.

Lace recoiled at the sudden sitting neighbors. She recoiled at the sudden greeting. "What do you think you're doing?"

"_Um…_ Introducing myself?" The Coordinator put her hand away and shrugged. "Your name's 'Giselle', right? Nice to meet you."

"My name's not 'Giselle'. It's Lace. 'Giselle' was my old name. Don't call me that. In fact, don't call me anything. I don't want to get to know any of you."

"Relax. You don't have to be so uptight around us. We're not going to bite. Unless you try to bite us, of course."

"Do you treat all your enemies this way? Treat every soldier to tea before you execute them?" Lace cocked her brow in irritated bewilderment. She found the overfriendly and casual personalities of her captors to be more disturbing than welcoming.

"No, that's just how May treats everyone when she first meets them." Angie commented, "After she gets used to you though, she'll stop being so weirdly nice. Unless she has a crush on you, then she'll keep being weird to you. _OW!_" Her head was struck sideways.

The Coordinator pulled back her foot and smiled. "And that's Angie. She treats you very nice in the beginning, but when she gets to know you, she becomes a real jerk."

"It's called teasing. Get used to it. Not everyone's going to keep treating you like a princess."

"I'm not asking them to. But I'm not asking them to give people a false impression of me either."

"False what? It's true. Every time we meet a new person you act like you're some kind of representative or something."

"It's called treating new faces with respect. Also, you have to give your group a great first impression otherwise people will think you're nothing more than a band of ruffians."

"_Wow_, you really are a wish to be like Maya. You're starting to sound more pretentious than Annie."

"You take that back…"

"Girls. Fight somewhere else." a new voice interrupted.

All three looked up to find a young woman of sea blue eyes staring at them in disappointment. "And this is Dawn." Angie introduced, "The one with the mood swings. Her hobbies include –"

"Out, out, out." Dawn shooed the Ramies from their place and claimed a spot next to the Hunter. The two grumbled as they crawled to a different area to continue their jabs at one another. May turned and stuck her tongue out childishly at the fellow Coordinator. Dawn mimicked her and kicked at the ground to scare her away. May responded with a mocking kick of her own, but was dragged off before she could continue the gestured-argument.

"…_I apologize for those two._" Dawn finally said after a moment of silence had passed.

"Don't try to get nice with me either." Lace growled.

"I wouldn't dream of it." the Coordinator responded with an uncaring tone.

"But you're here for a reason."

"Obviously."

"Let me guess: A deal? I hardly think –" Lace cut herself off with a grunt. Something cold was pressed lightly on the back of her neck. A familiar scent filled the air as a warm liquid dripped onto her skin.

"_I'm sure you know what this is._" Dawn whispered with an especially venomous voice, "_One of your darts, but not the red one, and definitely not one of the nicer ones. You brought this with you just in case you ended up in a fight against one of the Guardians, correct?_"

"H-How did –"

"_Let's just say I'm a very special kind of 'abnormal'. And I happen to know exactly how to get what I want from you. So you're going to give it to me… otherwise I'll just grant your wish of being executed right here and now. Of course, this dart doesn't make it very quick, does it? That would be a terrible way to go._"

"…What do you want?"

Dawn smiled. She played with the dart in her fingers, tracing it lightly against the prisoner's neck. "_Firstly, I want you to comply with this team. It's actually in your best interest that you help them – they really are a helpful and wonderful group. You'll benefit a lot from getting to know them. And if you really are here for a reason like my friend Misty said, then neither of us would want that purpose to go to waste. Secondly, I want you to tell me a little secret of yours…_"

Fear flowed through the Hunter's veins, though she felt no discomfort from it. In opposite, she felt a strange sense of familiarity with this unique sort of terror. It had reminded her of her first days as a Hunter Initiate… "And what 'little secret' would you like to know?"

"_The very one you're dreaming of right now. Tell me how you became a Hunter._"


	19. Fortitude

Another sunset had passed before they found freedom from the thick forests they traveled through. And another night had fallen before they finally reached their destination.

Stepping into the open, the group winced at a spectacular light that they had underestimated from afar. A bright moon occupied the darkened sky above, yet none of its reflected rays were culprit to their temporary shock. The very world around them seemed victim as well – grass, trees, dirt, and even the shadows were colored in soft and cold shades. A massive wall of shifting blues was its source; tall and wide enough to appear flat in shape and design, bright and stunning enough to swallow the starlight that failed to light the world below.

Valor Lights shined magnificently in their direct view. Though they had seen it several times during their long travels, being in its presence was an entirely different experience.

After recovering her senses to their fullest, Sabrina exhaled and scanned the area. She carefully selected and sat on a small hill of grass, ignoring the magical view in tiredness. "I believe we all need to take a rest before we proceed any further."

"_Did anybody bring lunch?_" Maylene groaned as she stumbled into a tree, "_Ugh. I guess it's dinnertime now…_ Did anybody bring dinner? Heck, I'll take breakfast if any of you got it. I'm star–" A wrapped meal bar floated around her head and captured her attention. She sniffed at it curiously. "_Is that blueberry?_ Sabby, you're the best!" she rejoiced and snatched at the packaged treat… only to find her hands empty. "Huh?" Her grab had missed by inches. She tried to grab it again. Only to miss once again.

The fighter chased the hovering food as it flew away and dodged her every attempt to devour it.

_Quit messing with her, Sabrina._

The Psychic giggled in delight. _Just a little longer. This is what she gets for calling me 'Sabby'._

Ash sighed and began to unpack the few camping materials they had brought with them. However, the peripheral sight of a woman falling over forced him to stop and turn. "Bianca?" He ran over to the blonde as quick as he could. Before he could reach her, she sat straight up and crawled a good distance away from him.

"I'm fine." is all she said. An uncomfortable silence followed soon after. Similar to how she had treated him throughout their entire trip, Bianca was turned away, refusing herself from looking in his direction.

Ash would have approached her, but her body language made it clear that was the last thing she wanted him to do. "O-Okay… Um. Sabrina has some food in her pack if you want any."

"Thank you."

"Take care of yourself, okay?"

Bianca nodded and continued to stare into the forest behind them.

The male Guardian watched over her in concern for a few minutes before returning to his unpacking. To his confusion, all items had already been removed from the bag.

Melody finished pitching the tent and tossed the sleeping bags inside. She turned and found Ash standing behind her. 'You didn't have to.' is what she read from his lips. She only smiled in response.

With a cordial bow to communicate 'Enjoy your rest.' silently, Melody walked past the male and stood within an open patch of soil. From the chosen position, the full glow of Valor Lights was left unhindered and engulfed her entire being. Her head tilted up as she stared into the swirling blue. _Hello Riley…_ she whispered in her thoughts as a powerful, yet gentle energy soaked into her skin. She smiled at its touch.

'V-a-l-o-r-L-i-g-h-t-s-B-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l'

The female Guardian's heart skipped. Another sense of Aura trickled through her veins as Ash tactile traced his sentence onto her forearm. With no signs of the unnecessary 'I-s' that would normally be placed within most responses, the message was unmistakably written in the shorthand dialect that Melody had initially learned. To know that the male Guardian was trying to adapt his communication to a language she was familiar with, made her feel deeply cared for.

"Yes, it is." she spoke in tried return. _…Riley, this Ash. Aura Guardian also. He chosen to protect world many times. Two live inside him. One young. One old. Old one from old life and very strong Aura Guardian. Scary strong. But good intentions. Young from life before this one and not as strong… but good heart. Very good heart. I vowed to protect his heart and one he loves._ Melody turned to search for the 'one he loves', finding the fighter in the distance.

Maylene was greatly enjoying her caught meal, sitting on the uppermost branch of a large tree. The woman kicked her bare feet childishly and swayed from side to side as she chewed her food. It was an endearing sight. Despite the fighter's age – her energetic behavior, unpronounced female features, and almost immature sense of humor made her seem younger than Melody. Yet the woman was her senior, as well as Ash's senior. The surprising contrast of the fighter's compared age and youthfulness only helped to show the fulfillment and happiness she gained from her married relationship.

_One on tree Maylene._ Melody introduced to the energy inside and around her. _Ash her husband. Very lucky woman. Strong and confident too. Together they make unique couple. Very funny and fun together. And when they fight, they look happy fighting. Once, I see them yelling. After, they patted each other on backs. They understand and regard each other like partners. Working on themselves and each other without selfishness. I admire them greatly._

A flash of light sparked, pulling her attention towards the immense Aura Barrier. Ash was standing at the barrier's edge. His hands were placed on the surface of the blue dome, sliding across it in curiosity. A piercing white glow would shine wherever his fingers touched the shining energies.

"He likes you…"

"Hm?" Ash turned to find Melody beside him. 'L-i-k-e-s-M-e-?'

She lifted his hands away from hers and set them on the barrier again. Lights encored flashes at his touch. Melody placed her own hands next to his, shivering in delight as the Aura Barrier's warmth flowed through her palms. Like Ash, the barrier shined when she came into physical contact with it. "If people touch bahrrier, it hurts them." she explained as she closed her eyes. She slowly inhaled to calm her nerves of speaking long phrases of heard-words. "…Even people and pokémon with strong Aura connection get hurt. But not me. And not you."

The female Guardian pulled her hands away and faced Ash. "Riley made bahrrier. Sometimes… I feel Riley inside the bahrrier. His job to protect lake from everyone. So he stops everyone. Except for me, because he is familiar with me. I think he likes you – which why you not hurt by him." Her face turned red in embarrassment, fearful of how ridiculous she may have sounded. Though she was confident that her heard-words dialect had improved immensely since she began copying Sabrina's way of speaking through 'thought-words', she knew that without hearing her own voice she was bound to make several pronunciation and tonal mistakes. However, she was determined to improve the way she spoke with heard-words as long as Ash continued to improve his skill with tactile tracing and the unheard nuances involved within it. "I ahm… glad he likes you. I like you very much."

'I-L-i-k-e-Y-o-u-T-o-o'

'B-u-t-H-e-I-s-M-i-n-e-F-Y-I' Maylene intruded the conversation with her own traces.

Melody flinched at the message and blinked at the fighter in surprise. She nodded. "Y-Yes. Of course."

"I'm just teasin' ya', crazy girl." Maylene laughed and patted the female Guardian's head playfully. "Well, he _is_ mine. But you don't need to get so worked up about it. I know you ain't gonna' steal him from me… are ya'?"

Melody smiled nervously. At times she could easily read the words that were mouthed by the fighter – but at certain points, Maylene's words would melt and mix into one another due to the strange accent she would form whenever she was especially friendly to others. "I… I not know what you said…" the deaf female shamefully admitted.

The pink-haired woman simply slapped her shoulder in a friendly manner, grinned, and walked away. "I'll leave you Guardians alone then." she hummed with her back turned, "Oh, and Ash? Whatever it is you're planning with Sabby, you have to run it by me first before making any final decisions. Don't think I'm blind to that stuff. You two aren't as unpredictable as you think."

Ash scratched the back of his head in slight shame. "O-OK."

_**It is fine with me. You can tell her whatever she wants to know.**_

…_Sabrina? Have you been listening to my thoughts this entire time?_

_Is this a problem?_

_I thought you said you don't like eavesdroppers._

_It's not eavesdropping if I'm merely looking after the things that matter to me._

Ash blushed at the comment… which caught Melody's attention. _He… talking to Sabrina?_

The Psychic's voice twitched in tone, becoming alarmed to the female Guardian's thoughts. _**Melody is aware that we are speaking.**_ Her Empathic and Psychic essence reached out and surrounded the male Empathic's essence entirely – searching his entirety for a certain connection. _You two haven't…?_

_Sabrina, for the last time, no. It's not a bond. It's just her Aura. And why are you always worried about that? I thought you said you were fine if I formed a bond with someone else too._

_**I am aware of that. I just…**__ well, I am fine with it. I am just unsure if I will be ready for it… I still… want to keep you to myself._

Ash's face turned completely pink.

"Ash? What Sabrina saying to you?" Melody asked with curious concern. "She saying something bad? I can stop her if –"

_**Worry not. I am not harming Ash in any form.**_ the Psychic's voice echoed through her mind.

_He… feels strongly towards you. What your relationship with him?_ she responded in thoughts, showing no fear in her spirit.

_**I am not threatening his relationship with Maylene. And I am not threatening his heart.**_

_You not answer question._

_**I do not need to. You have the answer to your intended question. That is all that matters.**_

The female Guardian immediately turned and marched towards Sabrina.

An unnerving feeling filled the Psychic's heart. Though she reached out with her Empathy and telepathy, she could not read the Aura Guardian whatsoever. Melody's mind had blanked and focused on emotions to fuel her next action. However, her emotions could not be translated through Empathy. _She only has Aura… Her intentions and emotions are made of pure will._

_I told you._ Ash responded to her bemused thoughts.

_I was aware of it before, but I had only assumed that her emotions were like Bianca's – shrunken… not replaced. What a peculiar trait to have._

Melody quickly reached the area where the Psychic was meditating. She kicked her from her floating position to the ground. Her eyes locked viciously. _Stop speaking with Ash. Ash has important mission. You distract him and only Maylene can distract him. Whatever relationship you have with him comes later. I not know exactly what he feels for you, but it feels separate, exclusive. That not good for his heart. And I not tolerate that._

…

Sabrina stared at the Guardian in disbelief, slowly smirking in amusement. _**…I can crush you, you realize that?**_

_You threaten like monster and yet you feel proud. You should feel ashamed. Guardians chosen to kill monsters. Ash chosen to. I chosen to. And I willing to end you if you lead him astray._

_**And if I ever do so, I will expect you to do as you say. But I am not. You are assuming over concepts that you have no prior knowledge or experience for, so please do not accuse anyone over such things. I find it rather irritating.**_ Sabrina leaned forward and pressed her palm against Melody's forehead. With a force of tensed thought, she flooded the female Guardian's mind with terrifying images and horrific nightmares before striking a mental blow to her consciousness. The Psychic's victim fell over seconds after, forced into a senseless state. _**…I appreciate the concern, however.**_

…

_**I apologize for that, Ash…**_

_She's okay, right?_

_**Only unconscious. She will wake in a few hours. May be shaken when she first rouses…**_

_I trust you. I know you wouldn't have hurt her like that unless you needed to._

…_I might have done it because I was scared._ Sabrina slowly curled herself and stared at her feet. Her heart and mind depressed heavily as she exhaled. _I was caught off guard. I didn't think anyone would accuse me for treating you wrongly. Accuse me for having too close of a relationship with you? I expected that. But not have someone wholeheartedly believe that I was… bad for you._

_Sabrina…_

_I'm not bad for you, am I?_

_No, of course not!_

_I'm not leading you astray?_

_No. You're leading me a little off-course with all this Saffron City stuff, but you're not leading me astray. You wouldn't do that to me._

_But the spoon…_

Ash sighed. Exhausted care filled his heart as 'the topic' appeared once again. 'The topic' was the discussion of the events that led to Ash's tragedy in the prior reality. It was a subject that could be brought up to any of his teammates with relative ease, but with Sabrina it was an impossibly difficult one. Implications of who was responsible for which circumstances and the infinitely complex interconnections hidden inside the developments were details that Sabrina found to be of extreme importance. However, the factors involved were also very telling…

By specific accounts, especially one concerning the ghost named 'N', Sabrina was found guilty of leading Ash to his terrible fate in the Team Rocket base. It was a painful fact that she couldn't deny. It was a heartbreaking truth that she couldn't cope with. 'The spoon' referred to the twisted spoon that Ash had held as his memento of the Psychics of Saffron – and it was the item that led him to seek out Sabrina's help in his first doomed journey. Each item had distracted him from the events that truly mattered and had stalled him from accomplishing his tasks in time. In the end, the influence of the items had forced Ash to be taken away by the darkness.

The loss of Ash had broken the once uncompromising 'Psychic Nightmare'. Her world and her life had shattered the instant her bond vanished from existence. She saw it as a terrible mockery to the renewed life and happiness that she had gained from being with him. And she had never forgiven herself for being one of the many that were at fault for the injustice.

"_I need to talk with Sabrina in private for a while. Is that okay?_" Ash asked Maylene quietly.

"You're not going to disappear for days, are you?" the fighter responded without turning.

"_I… I don't know._"

Maylene shrugged and waved him off. "Fine. Fine. Do what you need to do. Just come back, OK? I'm trusting that you won't cheat on me, so you better not."

"I won't. And OK." Ash smiled. "And I'll try to make sure it won't take too long. It shouldn't take too long, but –"

"– with Sabrina you never know." she finished for him. "I know. Just hurry up. I'll be waiting for you at the tent."

"_Thanks, 'Lene._" He leaned over and pecked her on the cheek.

Her face lit pink. "Go already, geez."

Ash climbed down from the tree and approached the hill where the Psychic and the unconscious Guardian occupied. He slowed down as he neared the sobbing older woman. _Sabrina… Let's go somewhere. Somewhere we can just talk without worrying about others. Just for a little bit._

The Psychic remained still for several minutes before shyly reaching her hand out. "_…okay…_"

Ash pulled her to her feet and patted the grass and dirt stains from her coat. With a slow walk, he led her into the woods.

Bianca quietly followed from behind, remaining unnoticed.

* * *

The sound of impacting and scraping metals vibrated loudly in their ears as several bullets ricocheted from Metagross' body. Snapping and hissing sounds decorated the atmosphere as several more projectiles came into contact with a large field of electricity. Pikachu and Espeon tensed in their efforts to hold the hemisphere-barrier in place. A barely audible **thwump** revealed that another gunner had foolishly shot at Lucario, gaining the Aura Pokémon's fierce attention. The half-barrier was quickly removed as Donphan dashed back into safety at the end of his Rollout. Seconds after, the psychic-fueled electric fence was remade and continued its protection of the occupants within its side. To the other, Metagross stood firm as a steel wall for those who hid between his legs, firing lances of mental energy at anyone daring to approach his vicinity of the pokémon-enforced bunker.

"We've got about forty of them down! Forty-three on specific count!" Casey shouted above the yells, roars, and blasts that filled the air, "About fifty seven more to go, folks! Keep it up!"

"An exact army of one hundred? How cliché is that?" Angie growled as she ducked away from another shot intended for her head. "Third close call this evening! I'm on a roll."

"Quit risking your life needlessly and focus on your job, Anj!" May yelled.

"My job? What's my job? Luxio's not on my command right now. What the heck am I supposed to be doing?"

"I dunno! Stop making snarky remarks and dig us another foot in that trench, maybe?"

"No one's using the trench! As far as I can tell, everyone's practically latching onto Meta-head's legs like a heracross on a sap tree ever since that grenade landed in the ditch! …No offense."

"Heracross." The Single Horn Pokémon shrugged.

"Besides," the tomboy continued, "Shouldn't YOU focus on YOUR job instead of yelling at me all night long?"

"I'd have a job if Maya didn't take it from me!"

"Then why don't YOU dig the trench and I get to hide in that igloo to yell at you to work?"

May popped her head slightly over the wall of ice that surrounded her. "I'm not sure if you can tell, but I'm pretty much stuck in here! What am I supposed to do? Crawl out and get shot?"

"Why don't you ask Glaceon to… I dunno, make a tunnel for you to get over here!"

"I can't! I just said that Maya took my job! Glaceon's under her command now!"

Angie sighed. "Geez, who ISN'T under her command right now?" She leaned back and peeked at the other glacier across the field.

The Empathic Maya sat within a massive spike of thick ice, unseen and unmoving. Through the psychic-enhanced vision of Latias, she surveyed the darkened environment beyond her protected position. The forest was alive with deadly activity: Empire soldiers surged from every side, entrenching themselves as they fired volleys of bullets in the group's direction. Pokémon that could withstand gunshots or create an effective defense against them swarmed around their human allies in an effort to protect them. Those who held no resistance to the projectile weapons were set for hasty hit-and-run assaults and redirected to different posts, waiting for further commands. Key areas were highlighted in the Eon Pokémon's sights, pointing to the locations where enemy soldiers hid to make radio contact with other forces. And a single human from their team braved the dangerous warzone in order to silence these soldiers before reinforcements could be called in.

_Latias, I need you to lead Dominique north towards the third target._

_And what of the second or first?_

_The first seems to be having difficulty with his device, so he can be ignored. The second one is in direct sights of a sniper. It would be best for Dominique to work her way to the third to avoid being in the line of fire. She can move to the second then the first then continue on the original path. Move her fast, because Snorlax and Beautifly are pushing back a group of six towards that section. She has maybe around thirty seconds before the first target is completely reinforced._

_On it. May I suggest giving support to Typhlosion's team to the southwest? It seems they've been stalled by Bibarel's intrusion._

_Darn Angie… Why did she have to let Bibarel out?_

_He is powerful, just misdirected. It's best if you use him to attack the rear of formations rather than the front or side. That way he can regroup with the center defense after each charge._

_How am I supposed to tell him that? Even with Empathy, I don't think he understands what anyone says to him._

_He understands Angie._

_And how is she supposed to reach him? That path to Bibarel is still compromised._

_I can't answer that for you right now, Maya. Dominique and I are currently facing some problems right now. I will communicate with you once we're clear._

Latias' view disappeared from Maya's senses as the emotional link was disconnected. The Empathic frowned at the sudden disability, feeling blind within her frozen bastille. A puff of white fog escaped her nostrils as she slowly exhaled. She reached out to another pokémon before the cold could be fully acknowledged by her body. Anabel's alakazam was chosen as her next connection. He hid himself amongst the treetops, away from direct threats or views. Though she knew that the Psi Pokémon couldn't rival the Psychic Gym Leader's own alakazam, nor could he provide the benefits of Sight Share, quick flight, and the cloaking abilities that Latias boasted – she knew she could still depend on his vast and powerful mind.

_Alakazam?_

_Delcatty. Dig. Distraction needed. Lopunny, Staryu, and Starmie best. Mamoswine and Venusaur effective for breaking northwest line. Ice barrier along their route._

_Huh?_

_Instructions. You were asking for instructions. Angie can reach Bibarel through an underground tunnel. Further clarification required?_

_No. No, thank you. And thank you._ she responded to his thoughts awkwardly. Though Anabel was a part of Maya, the unified Empathic had trouble communicating well with the Frontier Brain's pokémon. Excepting Espeon, the other pokémon under her care were strangely cold and distant. Speaking with their hearts was a simple enough action for them, but they lacked the warmth that was to be expected from being trained under an Empathic. _They feel more like Quinn's than my own…_

She flinched, realizing that Alakazam was still fully aware of her thoughts. _U-Um… Sorry. I'm not saying that –_

_It is fine. We understand. But please understand that through your consensus, you cannot fully see us in the same light as Lady Anabel had._

Maya's eyes shifted to a soft violet. _You're fine, Alakazam. And thank you again. Please continue helping the others._

The Psi Pokémon's energy quickly turned friendly and close in reaction to Anabel's emotion-fed voice. _Of course, Lady Anabel. Would you like me to send the instructions to Delcatty and Lopunny's team for you? I do not believe I can quickly seek out Mamoswine and May's pokémon in this chaos. But if you would like me to –_

_It's fine. We'll handle that. And yes, please send the message to Delcatty and Lopunny immediately. Thank you._

Her lilac eyes shifted back to a deep blue, returning the full intertwined conscious of Maya to the fore. A sense of shame weighed in her heart. She had falsely assumed that Alakazam had little heart due to her biased view of Psychics. With the growing trouble around them and the increasing risk of reinforcements, however, she had no more time for apologies and guilt. _Mamoswine? Venusaur? Glaceon?_

The Twin Tusk Pokémon immediately turned its attention away from battle and listened closely to the Empathic's voice. Bothered by being given more commands by an Empathic other than their Trainer, Venusaur and Glaceon hesitated in sharing their focus with her.

_Venusaur. Glaceon._ Maya repeated. _Please, this is important. I need your help to remove attention from the battle in the north._

_What now?_ Glaceon responded in unhidden irritation. _North seems fine. More trouble here._

_I know there's trouble there, but that's not where we need to focus. Please, if you're willing, I need Mamoswine to use Hyper Beam along with Venusaur's SolarBeam to cut into the groups lined up there. Lopunny and her team are working their way into supporting Delcatty, who's digging a tunnel for Angie. They're going to be left exposed to the Empire soldiers in the north if we don't do something soon._

_Then what do you need me for?_

_Mamoswine and Venusaur are large targets. They can't reposition themselves without cover. I need you to build an ice wall for them._

_Then why can't I just do that for Angie?_

_Because she's too far from where you're standing. It's more effective if you move towards Venusaur._

_Glace, listen to her._ May's voice rang through the Fresh Snow Pokémon's heart. _We need to be working together for this._

With an uncaring nod, Glaceon agreed to her Trainer's request. _Fine._ She turned and ran towards the large Seed Pokémon, initiating her support role.

…_Thank you, May._

_No problem. If you need any more help with my pokémon, don't hesitate to ask me. You're already handling enough as it is._

_Will do._ Maya replied, smiling to herself. She found the Empathic Coordinator's tone to be pleasantly friendlier than usual. It was no secret to anyone that May held a strong dislike for the orange-haired Empathic. The young woman would often show a defiant nature towards her, expressing an almost aggressive sense of insecurity whenever she was in her presence. Despite this, Maya secretly favored May out of the three young women that formed Ramie. Whether it was because she was a result of a wish to be more like Maya, or because May indirectly complimented her form and functions through her spite, she wasn't fully sure – though she knew that the Coordinator's Empathic abilities made her far more relatable. To finally be given the opportunity to speak and work with her without any negative tension, Maya was glad. _And if there's anything you need help with on your end, please don't hesitate to ask me._

_Don't get too comfy with me, Maya._ May responded with a voice eerily close to Ramie's, _I'm just looking out for my pokémon._

_Of course._

_If you don't mind, I'll be keeping my attention on Glaceon and Venusaur from here on out. I need to be able to do something while I'm trapped in this glacier._

_Very well._

One final energy of worry pulsed from May before she closed her emotions from the powerful Empathic's senses. Maya chuckled to herself. _I guess she does care. Such a sweetie._

A long sigh of relief blew through her lips as the last of the warzone's needed tasks was quietly removed from her hands. Eased from the responsibility of managing over others, her heart slowly reached out to survey the vast environment beyond her glacier shield. Colors and temperatures of an umpteen amount of emotions flared and swirled around her, each holding their own distinct sense of individuality and sentience. Those filled with rage burned crimson and cerise. Those burdened with confusion hummed a noticeable gray. Those stricken with fear shook away particles of peach, yellow, and black. Colors of those who had never faced a fearsome mass of trained pokémon of this caliber. Colors of those who had never faced a group of humans that didn't depend on technology or ammunition to continue fighting effectively. They were the colors of the enemy.

Despite their numbers and their training, the Empire soldiers were outclassed and were quickly losing ground. What had originally begun as a spontaneous nightly patrol exercise for the Soldiers of the Marsh, had turned into an awesome opportunity to gain fame and notoriety. By providence, they had found the group of troublesome foes that had escaped Pastoria City wandering within their woods. To succeed in killing them would have gained them renown. To succeed in capturing them would have gained them rank and honor. These benefits and more fueled their spirits in the opening hour of their battle. Their enthusiasm quickly faded and crumbled as the third hour crawled into being. None of their prey had fallen or become injured, many more appeared from the shadows and through portals of red light, and one by one the Soldiers of the Marsh were being silenced and dragged into the darkness. The prey they faced was no prey at all – and they had made a grave mistake to challenge them on their own.

The overall frustration and fear that spread throughout the forests near Lake Valor filled Maya with relief. She had done her job magnificently. Though she didn't hold the perfect management and analysis abilities of a Leanne, the foresight and efficiency of a Quinn, the determination and will of a Ramie, the experience and discipline of a Farron, or even the unpredictability and luck of Sato – she was able to shock and awe the forces of their foe with her use of Empathy. It was a fact that would have brought her pride, if it were not for the fact that she still detested battles…

Time had moved forward, the world had altered, and the three young women that had taken her place in the new realities were all proficient in Pokémon Battles – yet Maya had never changed. She remained as the same woman as she was countless timelines ago: Emotional and insecure over subjects many claim to be trivial, caring for and preferring the company of pokémon over humans, and still finding no pleasure in combat. It was a quirk of hers; one that she knew was strange due to the fact that pokémon loved to test their abilities through combat. And it was a quirk she had wished to be rid of in order to share the same joy Sato had found in battle.

But she was still Maya. Succeeded by three who led entirely diverse lives, but still the same Maya once unified. _It shouldn't matter though. Because even if I still have no love for battle, I was still able to pull off this operation with flying colors. Sure it's taking far longer than if Leanne or Quinn were in charge, but the fact is I'm overcoming this weakness with my own strengths! It's like how courage is not a lack of fear, but triumphing over it. This is similar… I think. Or I hope it is._

She sighed. _You're talking to yourself again, Maya. Sato would be giving you strange looks right about now._ Her focus spread out once again, ensuring that no troubles had slipped her heart by while she distracted herself with internal monologues.

"Down to nineteen! That's nineteen more to go!" Casey shouted out, "Let's keep this up! We've got 'em!"

The baseball enthusiast's words brought a proud smile to Maya's lips. Maya had been constantly impressed by Casey's keen eyesight, especially within the absolute shadows of the forested night. But what had impressed her more was the simplistic genius of the young woman's mind. To boldly shout the numbers of their defeated foes had given their group an overwhelming sense of confidence while shattering the resolve of their struggling opponents – and it also benefited in frightening their foes, as the Soldiers of the Marsh could not fathom how their 'prey' could be so accurate in their spotting without the use of night vision viewers or light sources. Through such a basic action, Casey had made her unspecified task for the battle become an integral part of their strategy towards victory. It was nothing less of amazing.

And it was nothing less of a terrifying reminder: Where Casey, as a Quinn, was a genius in her straightforward and simplified thoughts; Sabrina was a master of the opposite. Masks behind mirrors, deceitful intentions within prepared honesty, and improbable traps reinforced by bemusing tricks – they were expected traits and strategies from the 'Psychic Nightmare'. And never understanding the over-complexities of the Psychic's mind before it was too late was yet another expected trait and strategy to remain wary of.

_Sato…_ Maya inhaled slowly as she frowned. With a flex of her senses, she returned to her duty, _May? Can you hear me? Send over Blaziken. It's about time that we join in on this fight._

_You've read my heart. Let's do this!_

* * *

"Well now, this is awkward…" Maylene scratched at her neck as she continued to walk beside Ash. To her right was Sabrina, remaining silent as she kept a safe distance away from the male Empathic. To her left was Melody, quietly glaring in the Psychic's direction from a safe range. And behind her shuffled the ever taciturn Bianca, still stiffly following them just out of reach. The fighter wasn't fully sure what had occurred between the three, though she knew it had something to do with her boyfriend. _It always has something to do with him._ "So…"

"Ow!" Ash yelped as his rib was struck by an elbow. "What was that for?"

"_Aren't you going to say something?_" Maylene whispered, "_I thought that after we got in here they'd at least change their mood. But heck, all the floating objects and shiny white lights aren't even making them flinch! They're like statues. Er… walking statues, but still statues!_"

"Technically I am saying something. They just don't want to talk about it out loud."

"…_Saying something? As in Psychic stuff? Unless Melody's a Psychic herself or an Empathic, how in the world are you talking to her?_"

"…Aura? Kind of. It's not really talking."

"_I didn't know you could talk to people with Aura._"

"That's why I said 'kind of'. I can't really explain it. Or… don't know how to yet."

"_So what of Zelf up there? Is he talking?_"

"No. We're still just following him."

Maylene shrugged her shoulders. Whatever discussions or debates they held from her were beyond her current knowledge and effort. Though she cared for the wellbeing of those within the team, she knew when her intrusion would only further complicate matters. Instead of the bothersome involvement, she focused on her present situation and environment.

The five travelers walked within an endless void of odd white. Around them hovered miscellaneous items and shapes that would vanish as quickly as they appeared. Chairs, tables, masks, utensils, pens, jackets, books, and other day-to-day junks and treasures were ones that were easily recognizable. Unfinished figurines, bodies of water and fire, flickering wisps of different colors, and fogs of unknown substances were amongst those that baffled any attempts at finding meaning. There was little sense to the functions or forms of this world, yet there was no confusion to be truly felt. It was a world ruled by willpower, lacking in logic to give it reason and lacking in emotion to give it purpose. There was no need for such things within a realm of only energy and drive. And there was no want. Only determination was required to exist within it, and determination rarely found discomfort or disorientation. Ahead of them flew the world's guardian and overseer, a pokémon of blue shades and peculiar design: Azelf, the Willpower Pokémon.

In the sunrise that preceded their journey into this world, the pentad of voyagers had awoken to the curious sight of Valor Lights' barrier opening. Welcoming them through this entrance was the blue Lake Guardian, who seemed to be waiting for their arrival. It was an encouraging progression in their efforts to stop the Rocket Empire, yet none of them showed excitement or astonishment. Even the deaf young woman, who was convinced that the shields of Valor Lights would never allow anyone within its walls, expressed nothing but quiet acceptance. The group only cared to busy themselves within deep thoughts and individual concerns rather than allowing themselves to be caught up in the moment. Their reactions brought a bittersweet sense of comfort for the pink-haired fighter of the group, who had often worried that their failures within previous realities had been caused from a lack of serious considerations within their most important trials.

_Still though, I think they're being a little too somber about this._

"Floating television, anyone? Anyone care about that?" She pointed at the strange anomaly that hovered around her head. "Nobody cares? Nope? Nope." Maylene sighed. "You're at least making sure we have our eye on the prize, right? I don't want Zelf leading us somewhere that wasn't in our plans because he's reading us wrong."

"If you're so concerned, then why don't you just tell him yourself where you want us to go?"

Maylene flinched in surprise and turned. "…Bianca? I think that's the first snide remark you've ever made!"

The Unova native's face turned pink. "Ah! I'm… I'm sorry… I didn't mean to –"

"Well at least you're finally talking. It was getting quite lonely without you."

"Sorry…"

"You're just going to keep apologizing, aren't you?"

"N-No, I'm s–… I mean, yes. Sorry."

Maylene chuckled at the blonde's timid personality. She missed her loud and friendly nature, but understood that she would only have good reasons to remain private. "Don't sweat it, Green-eyes. Yo Zelf!"

The Willpower Pokémon stopped its flight and tilted its head.

"You know where we want to go, right? I mean, last time I was here, we didn't have to walk anywhere. You just made us appear there."

…

"Waiting? Waiting for what?" Maylene responded to the pokémon's silent voice. Similar to their meetings within previous realities, no one but Ramie could hear Azelf's words. _Though they aren't exactly words…_ she thought to herself, _Wait a minute, is this Aura?_ Several more willed replies were sent towards her, translated innately into her thoughts. "We're waiting for them to focus? Waiting for who to… _Oh._ Guys! Quit it!"

"Ow!" Ash yelped again, "Hey! Why'd you only hit me?"

"You seriously think Ms. Time Guardian and Ms. Psychic Beast are going to let me hit them?" Maylene replied before striking him playfully across the shoulder. "Besides, you're the one talking to both of them. Tell them to get their heads in the game. We've got a job to do."

"I already did. They're focused."

"Then why isn't… Hey, Greeny! Focus!"

Bianca blinked. "H-Huh? But… I am focused. I think."

"No, no, focus on what we have to do!"

"…What were we doing again?"

"We're here so Ash can find out what he's –"

"Oh, right. Right! Focu–"

The world of white shattered into uncountable pieces, disappearing into an eternal pit of blue. Blinding lights flared from the pit as nonexistent fractures formed within the unphysical foundation of cobalt, navy, sapphire, turquoise, azure, and cerulean. Visions of current events and living creatures could be seen within each of the cracks, each one surrounded by sparks, glows, and pulses of shaded blues. It was a dazzling view, one that left the five humans hovering above it speechless. But it was also a vague view, leaving no details for interpretation or translation. Like all other things found within the reality hidden by Valor Lake, the sights were expressions of will. Items such as thought or intention were notably missing from view – giving no exact reasoning or understanding for what the five saw.

"_Uh… Zelf? What exactly are we looking at?_" Maylene grumbled as she eyed the strange spectacle. "I know what it is. _Kind of._ But how is this supposed to help us?"

Sabrina floated towards one rift and studied the vision it carried in amusement. "Charred ruins? Nature is quite stubborn. History repeats itself even when the timeline is reset."

"Of course Sabby would know what we're looking at! Because she knows Zelf personally, and she can read Aura too. No wait, she's none of that. So what the heck, let's just make sure she knows everything. Because it's not like she has enough advantages already."

"Your sarcasm could use some subtlety."

"Just tell us what it is already."

"_Cinnabar Island._"

Sabrina and Maylene blinked in bewilderment at the source of the response. Turning, they found Melody staring intently into the shifting visions.

"That Cinnabar Island. I… I know where to find it." The female Guardian shook her head slightly, finding herself confused with her thoughts and words. "Empire base… Main Empire base hidden in caverns. Machine. Powerful machine holding something… _wrong…_ protected there. Guarded. Used."

"_The darkness…_" Sabrina hissed.

"How the heck do you know all that?" Maylene questioned.

"I… I just know." Melody buried herself in concerned thoughts… only to gasp seconds after. "I hear! Ah. Not hear. I… _taste_ words! Your heard-words! I smell, taste, feel in throat and chest words and tone. I kno–!" she immediately silenced herself as the one beside her spoke.

"It's the Aura of this place." Sato inhaled, absorbing the scent of the world around him. "We wanted to know where our fate as Guardians would lead us to. This place that Azelf calls home can magnify that will and make it physical. So not only can we physically see where the world requires our help and attention, but we also become more synced with our will and desires."

"…so if I wanted a sandwich…"

"It doesn't work exactly like that, Maylene." the older Guardian chuckled. "It just supports our will to better gain what we want and need. Like a sort of upgrade or extension."

"I don't feel any different."

"Unless you honestly have hidden intentions or drives at the moment, you won't gain anything from being here. As far as this world is aware: You already have everything you want and need."

"I really want a sandwich though…"

"Do you really?"

"Don't you get all psycho-riddley on me, oldie. If I'm hungry, I'm hungry."

"Perhaps you are in a state of mind that is convincing yourself that you are hungry, when in fact you are simply craving something for the sake to crave it." a red-framed Bianca speculated, "So, in a fashion, you have already gained what you sought to gain."

Maylene snorted at the sight of the blonde. "Wearing your glasses to look smart, Greeny? Not trying to be mean, but you still look like a dork in that thing."

"I – I do not!" she shouted back with a blush. "_…Ash likes it on me, right?_"

"…Are you trying to get my boyfriend to compliment you?" Maylene was suddenly shoved into Sato's chest. "Hey! Who's pushing?"

"I think she's just happy to be around Ash. So she doesn't need anything~!" another Bianca happily hummed as she pulled on Sato's arms to force him to hug the fighter. "Teacher, turn back into Ash~! Whenever Ash holds her like this, her entire body turns pink! They're soooo cute together~!"

A third Bianca appeared, bowing nervously to request for attention. "_No wait, um, before you go, teacher… I – I'd like to ask you a question… You see, Ash and I had a conversation one night…_"

"I CAN'T BELIEVE I DID THAT THAT NIGHT!" a fourth screamed in embarrassment as she ran past them and disappeared in the distance.

A miniature Bianca popped her head out of Sato's pants pocket. "Let's go somewhere fun! I found a coin!"

Maylene looked around in panic, realizing that they were surrounded by an assortment of Biancas, each talking over the other and concerning themselves with trivial and confusing matters. "Um… What the heck?"

"It seems Bianca has several wants and needs that she finds of equal importance." Sabrina chuckled as she allowed the tiny version of the Unova native to crawl onto her arm. "Such a cute little thing."

Sato coughed an awkward laugh from his throat and returned to the important discussion at hand, "Anyways… It looks like we're headed towards Cinnabar Island after this."

"Which is convenient for me, as I plan to stop by Saffron City while we're in Kanto." the Psychic happily added.

"Whoa whoa whoa! Hold up! Aren't we forgetting something?!" Maylene interjected in frustration, "Did we forget that every time we've faced the darkness, which is OBVIOUSLY the one trapped in the machine in those caverns, there's been some sort of casualty? And that the world could very well restart again? We seriously can't be thinking of just charging in there and winging it! And this is coming from the gal who loves charging in and winging it!"

"_That's what she said!_" a Bianca shouted from far away.

"Greeny! Shut it! I still say you're too young for those jokes!" the fighter barked before giving her attention back to Sato. "_Look._ I know all we gotta' do this time around is to turn off some stupid switch. But do you really think the darkness never thought of us doing that? I don't know if that thing thinks or not, but I know the Empire does. Considering that this is our third shot at this thing, I don't think we should be so casual at approaching it."

"Do not concern yourself over this subject. We have already thought this through." Sabrina calmly responded, "Our plan of attack may have changed due to the new location and circumstances, but our final solution remains the same."

"You mean _YOUR_ final solution." A Bianca that closely resembled Leanne stepped forward. "As far as I'm aware, no one in this team likes what you're planning to do. Sato, maybe, but I know Ash is uncomfortable with it. And, by the way, I'm pretty sure that not even Casey and Dominique fully agreed with that plan. It's still _'up for alterations'_, last I remember."

Sabrina's eyes thinned, glaring fiercely at the blonde.

"You're wondering how I know all this? Leannes always keep a close tab on everyone, including Quinns. There isn't anything that you have done that went past us." She turned towards Maylene and frowned. "Sabrina's not planning to shut off the machine."

"…What?"

"She wants us to take over the base and guard it. By her logic, since the machine's the only thing that can keep the darkness held in one place, it's the only object known in existence that can imprison it. As long as it's imprisoned and guarded by a select few, no one can ever summon it again. And in effect, no one can ever abuse its power again."

"But… what happens to Arceus? The entire purpose of that machine is to keep Arceus under its control. As long as it runs, Arceus can't be set free."

"According to the Psychic's plan, Arceus will remain as a guardian alongside us. We guard the darkness from being used, but use it to control Arceus. The latter breaks the former rule in order to ensure the latter is never accomplished by others."

"Whoa whoa _whoa_! We're going to be taking control of Arceus permanently? And we're going to guard this thing for how long?"

"For as long as we live, and will only pass it on to those we can trust."

"I never agreed to that! D-Did you agree to this, oldie?!"

Sato sighed. "It's the only way we can guarantee that the darkness never harms another. Without this device, it will continue to threaten all existence. If you do not wish to be involved in this, it's fine. Sabrina and I can guard it alone."

"Except Ash doesn't agree with this plan." Bianca pointed out. "Sato and Ash never find conflict with one another… except on this subject. It happens to be the reason why Sato is out here and Ash isn't: Sato's keeping Ash unaware of what's going on."

"Oldie, you better not involve my boyfriend in this if he doesn't want it! _Or I swear…_"

"Ash is still young." he responded with a grieved tone, "He would not want this only because he has yet to find a reason to dedicate his life to this cause. But over time, as his memories and mine interfold with one another, he will grow to understand that this is what he wants."

Bianca shook her head. "You would _almost_ have a point if that is what Ash was concerned about. Ash, like you, is willing to sacrifice his life for a cause. But unlike you, he still intends to fulfill a promise you both made."

"And what promise would that be?"

"To show Quinn the world."

Sabrina's eyes widened. "_…Ash?_"

"That's right; Ash still means to keep that promise. If not with the full Quinn, then at least the Quinn that never got out much, i.e. you. Your plan of guarding a machine for all eternity means you'll never be able to experience what the world has to offer. Despite what you think, you haven't experienced enough of life – at least, not enough of what Ash wants to show you. Even if you dedicate yourself to a noble cause, Ash would always feel guilt for having never given you what he believes you deserved."

"_Ookayy… Now we're getting into an uncomfortable topic._" Maylene gave a weak laugh. "So… About this plan? I think it sucks too. I mean, it's not a bad one. But –"

"Quinn wanted me to give up on that promise." Sato interrupted, ignoring the fighter's attempt at changing the subject, "I didn't want to, but I had to. I can't give her everything she deserves. But I can at least give her what she wants. I can at least give everyone what they want. If I can ensure the darkness never harms anyone anymore, then I'll gladly grant that wish."

"And what of Sabrina? You're going to let her sacrifice her chance at a new life before she can ever find out what she's missing?"

"If that is what she wants, then…"

"…I change my mind!" Sabrina shouted. Her face shined a strange pink, and a blue glow reflected against the tears that formed around her eyes. "_If Ash wants to show me the world…_ I want him to. For now, we can just shut off the machine and –"

"Then I'll protect it alone." Sato decided. "I'm sorry, but I can't risk letting the darkness go. Someone will bring it back. Someone's going to try to use it to control Arceus again. And so many more lives will be ruined because of it. As a Guardian, I can't let that happen."

"I cannot let that happen either." Melody stood beside Sato. She had been quietly watching the discussions from the side, waiting for her chance to make her resolve known. "I protect machine with Sato. He… will not be alone."

Maylene approached her threateningly. "Hold it. You're not going _anywhere_ with my boyfriend. You're supposed to be protecting our relationship, right? So you can't go along with that little plan unless I agree with it. And I certainly don't agree with it."

"…_Fate of world more important than your love. Love of world and all living in it… is more important than your love._" The female Guardian locked eyes with the fighter, refusing to be intimidated. "_You…_ terrible wife for Ash! Ash cares for all, but all you care for is yourself!"

"Ash isn't even awake to make this decision! I'm sure as all heck that he wouldn't agree with this! If anything, both of you are being selfish by not letting him make that choice!"

"He… poisoned by all of you. His love poisoned by all of you! Distracted, confused! You all bad for him! Ash forgetting what it means to be Aura Guardian." Melody latched onto Sato's arm. "Aura Guardians meant to protect and love all. Not just one… One day you understand."

"Don't you even dare…"

"Azelf, take us through the quickest route to Cinnabar Island."

On Sato's command, a vortex of colors burst into being. Its center widened, revealing a gateway to the surface of Valor Lake.

"Oh no you don't! Sabrina! Block that porta–!" A wave of blue energy struck at her body, freezing her in place. The Psychic and the multiple Biancas behind her halted in movement as the time-controlling Aura connected with their bodies.

Azelf shifted into view, floating above the portal and inviting the Guardians to step through.

Maylene's eyes suddenly flared golden, her hair burned red and her stature grew as she broke free from the Aura hold. "**ZELF! YOU CAN'T LET THEM!**" Ramie roared and charged towards the trio.

The Willpower Pokémon flew towards her in challenge. A blinding pulse of blue light exploded from its being, blasting the Fighter several yards back. _I am sorry, Ramie… This is the will of the Guardians. I cannot let you interfere._ It turned and slipped through the portal, leading the two Guardians to their wanted destination.

Rolling herself to her feet, Ramie charged again. The gateway was quickly closing. She pushed her sprint, though she knew she would never reach it in time. Furious tears ran down her cheeks as she reached out to the man she had trusted most. "_**SATO!**_"

"Amy. Take care."

An orb of azure swallowed the portal shut and vanished it from existence.

Ramie tackled into nothing, falling onto a ground of pure white.

The realm of blue energy was gone. Only the world devoid of all colors remained… greeting them with its deafening silence.


	20. Assurance

_A man and a young woman. One that should not exist, and the other who should have met her fate long ago. Both defy the destiny meant for them. And more will band by their side soon. They ride the seas through a stolen craft, guided by the visions of a Legendary Pokémon. Their destination and their intention only aimed towards one location's title: Cinnabar Island, Kanto._

His hand burned from the extreme cold that spiked against the skin of his palm. "GAH!"

The marble fell from his stricken hand. As it impacted the floor, its white surface planted a coat of frost onto the marble tiles, preventing it from leaping from the collision. A right-footed dress shoe of dark mahogany stepped onto the frost, crushing the marble in place as a form of punishment for the pain it had caused its owner. Ice continued to spread across the floor and onto the shoe's sole at an alarming rate.

"Accursed thing!"

He pulled at his foot repeatedly, only able to free it from its hold by squeezing out of his sock. The entire shoe was soon encased in a thick layer of ice, with a cold mist forming at its edges.

"You good, Mr. Giovanni?"

"Yes, yes, I'm fine." Giovanni sighed and stared at his frozen footwear in irritation. "Brace?"

"Want me to break the ice?"

"No, you dimwit! You'll damage my balmoral. Find something to melt the ice off. Not too hot."

"…What? Like a lighter?"

"Whatever it takes to melt it off. But if I find a singe on my balmoral, it's coming off of your paycheck."

"Alright. I'll go get something." The large man shrugged and exited the room.

…

Time passed in silence as Giovanni continued to glare at his glaciated footwear. He paced in calculated circles around his decorated room, limping stiffly as his bare foot and dressed foot stepped and scuffled between marble tile and wool carpet. Warm-colored designs and silvered accents would tempt his eyes to relax and turn away from his attention, yet his focus never waned. The luxurious and welcoming comforts of his surroundings mattered little to him now, as the item of his concerns burdened his subconscious with infinite and timeless unease. His frozen shoe was where his eyes locked, but it caused him little worry, caring only for its visual and functional perfection if it managed to survive whatever crude remedy the muscle-headed Brace decided to give it. Instead, what had initially placed the shoe in such a predicament was where he invested the bulk of his concentration onto: The chilling marble of white hidden inside the small glacier. The Arceus Drop.

"_That Sato is a stubborn one. How he managed to return from the darkness' grasp, I would dearly like to know._" he growled to himself as he leaned against a nearby wall. "Even more baffling is how he managed to exist in a history that ensured he was never born! Impossible. _That detestable, stubborn Aura Guardian…_"

"Will of the world and what-not." a voice commented casually. Adjusting in a chair of velvet décor, a stunning male of silver hair and eyes pointed at the frozen ornament set at the center of the room. "So, Boss, something happen? I don't believe I've ever seen the marble react that much before. Is it because of this 'Sato'? Or is it something else?"

Giovanni halted in his pacing and regarded the handsome man with a foreboding look. "Sato has teamed with the Aura Guardian of Sinnoh. And they are headed here. They know where we are."

"Aura Guardian of Sinnoh?" The man whistled in awe. "I've heard rumors of that man. An 'Aura Assassin' they called him. Whoever this 'Sato' is, he's in good company – which would mean bad news if they're coming straight for us…" A smirk formed on his lips. "Though that doesn't mean much for me. I'll take care of them."

"Don't underestimate them. You've faced one of them before. The boy named 'Ash'. The blind Empathic. He and Sato are one and the same."

"That boy? Well then, I don't know what you're so worried about. He wasn't a match for –"

"Did you forget how his companions defeated you twice?"

The man winced. "…No. But if the two heading towards us now are only Aura Guardians, then the outcome won't be the same."

"Copper, it isn't their Aura that troubles me. It's their role as Guardians." Giovanni approached a vanity table across from him and stared into its mirror, studying his reflection with scrutiny. Deepening wrinkles, fading scars, and greying hairs marked his features. He was the same age as he was a lifetime ago, yet the efforts and sacrifices made within the renewed timeline had added years into his countenance. "Guardians are meant to follow fate. Though they police the fate of the world, ensuring that a balance always exists, they themselves cannot defy their own fates. By design, they act as the world's immune system…"

"And by design, they're supposed to be dying off." Copper finished. "I know, Boss, you told me. Like an autoimmune disease, the fate of the world changed so that Guardians are meant to be wiped from existence. Part of your plan and such. Then why should we worry? These Guardians will be rid of, just as planned. And I'll be the one to do them in. If you'll allow, that is."

"We should worry because these Guardians defied their design!" His fist slammed onto the table, knocking several medals and frames out of place. Giovanni closed his eyes and massaged his forehead. A trembling sigh escaped his frowning lips. "_…These Guardians… They aren't supposed to be alive._ Sato should have faded when the darkness took him. And the Guardian of Sinnoh was supposed to perish during the raids on the Orange Archipelago, before she could even awaken her potential. It was written by fate! Her death and refused life was supposed to affect an entire city's livelihood and culture… And Sato wasn't supposed to affect anything anymore. _I made sure of it._"

"…The Last Aura Guardian of Sinnoh is a woman? …Age? Sign? Preferences?"

Copper's curious interest was quickly ignored. "But here they are, continuing to fight. And the threads of fate are realigning themselves to their actions. The Drop showed me everything… This base will be infiltrated. All strategies made to counteract their possible approaches will be avoided. Our control of Arceus will be stolen. And the Empire will fall."

"You're sure about this? Did it show what would happen if I faced them?"

"You will lose. Every outcome results in your loss. You can face one Aura Guardian, but not two. And these two never separate. They will disable any pokémon or weapon you bring with you, and even without their powers they will defeat you. Whether we send assassins or entire armies in their direction, they're destined to defeat them or avoid them. Ever since their sudden reappearance within the fortunes of the universe, they've become the major strength of its focus. We weren't meant to win against them. We were never meant to survive with our cause. We would only be a stepping stone for a new world and future – a necessary evil meant to give lessons and choice… Our work is futile due to their existence. It's all been futile."

The door creaked open and the large man reappeared. "Then do we cut and run? If all roads lead to a loss, then why don't we just take what we have and just retire? Let them have their world. As long as they don't mess with what's mine, I'm fine with it."

Copper raised his brow and watched as the large man placed a larva-like creature near Giovanni's frozen shoe. "…You brought a larvesta?"

"What? Its body temperature can easily melt that ice."

"You didn't think of bringing an Ice Heal?"

"Ever use an Ice Heal on leather? The stains stick."

"So you polish it off."

"And what's wrong with just getting a larvesta?"

"You had to walk up… what, _five?_ Five flights of stairs just to get one of those from the storage room."

"Or I could've asked Thina. This is hers. The one she keeps under her desk, remember?"

"Thina isn't supposed to have pokémon with her at the desk!"

"It's not her fault that she needs him there. You won't let anyone touch the thermostat. It's freezing over there."

"They can bring a coat!"

"Who brings a coat to a volcano?"

"We're not in the volcano, idiot! We're beside it!"

"The question still stands: Who would bring a coat to a volcano island?"

"Someone who's smart enough to know that their workplace is always cold!"

"You expect them to lug around their coats every day just because you won't let them change the temp? I don't know why you won't. You don't even stay in those offices!"

"They have a coatrack! _WE_ have a coatrack! What in the world is the coatrack for if no one has coats to put on the rack? Don't you realize that we have a winter formalwear?! Are we just going to ignore that catalogue just because of an all-year summer weather? It's a waste of fashion and a _crime_ to the designers of those coats!"

Giovanni exhaled a slow and hoarse sigh, deeply exasperated. "_I'm surrounded by buffoons._" His senses focused, blocking out the sounds and voices of the bickering duo, and centered on the fallen and disarranged items of his vanity table. A dropped picture frame caught his attention. Lifting it up and setting it back into place, he stared into its features – captivated by the figure within the photograph. Ambivalence grew and weighed heavily within his heart as his eyes traced the female's face, giving him despair and comfort. "What should I do, my darling? The world conspires against me… _battles me, strikes at me…_ yet I am its only cure. Should I give up now in this struggle? Was everything I worked for barren and fruitless?"

"_Thank you, Gio."_

_Arms wrapped around his waist after the door behind him shut. A head pressed against his back, and his ribs were squeezed tightly. The smell of apricots filled the air – the smell of her perfume._

"_And why should you feel any gratitude?" he voiced to her coldly, hiding the sliver of happiness that touched his lips, "This was… a business transaction and nothing more."_

"_You saved that little girl's life. If it weren't for you… for the things you've done… she would have never made it." The woman held him tighter, wiping her tears against his coat's shoulders. "Business or no business, you gave her another chance at life. Thank you."_

The past's memories faded as he turned the picture frame away from view.

"It wasn't fruitless. And it still isn't. _Thank you, my love…_"

Giovanni inhaled and turned to face the center of the room. The two Agents were still arguing, though the topic had devolved into 'which region served the best desserts'. Ignoring their witless babbles, he strode across the tiles and retrieved his shoe, sock, and marble from the warmed floor. "_Thank you for taking care of the ice, Cocoa._" he whispered to the larvesta as he scratched its chin, "_Now, go on. Go back to Thina. I'm sure she's worried for you._"

The Torch Pokémon brushed its fur against his hand in friendliness and scuttled away, leaving the room through a slightly open door.

He watched the pokémon scurry from view before closing the door completely. After seconds had passed, he turned and cleared his throat loudly to gain the two remaining guests of his room's attention. "Brace? Copper?"

"**YES SIR!**" The two quickly silenced their quarrel and saluted.

"I need you to set up defenses on the northeast and southeast section of the island. By four hours, you will receive an order to converge your forces along the central line. In eight, you will be ordered to set up camps within your original positions. You will receive these orders at those exact times every following day. Obey those orders completely, but never rush. Otherwise your prey will get away."

Copper frowned. "…Prey? You mean those Aura Guardians? I thought you said we couldn't win against them. That every result ended with a loss. You said that. I even have it recorded."

"I know what I said, you repetitive elf. And you still won't achieve a victory through this strategy. But what you will achieve is buying us more time. If what this Drop says is true, then this plan should cause the Guardians to retreat temporarily."

"And if we succeed in capturing or killing them?"

"You _won't_ succeed in killing them. And you do not want to capture them. If you do capture them, Brace dies from a crossfire caused from their second escape. If you don't shoot while they attempt to escape, then Brace's family dies."

"Hey, what's my family got to do with this? And why am I the only one paying for their escape?" the large man growled.

"_Because you and your ruffian kind have terrible taste in tiramisu._" Copper scoffed. "Honestly, Boss? Right now I'm not seeing any negatives in capturing them. No one will miss Brace."

Giovanni cleared his throat again before another argument could start. "Brace, your family isn't involved in this. Their lives are simply going to be affected by a string of coincidental events that concern you. In the vast spectrum of destinies, your life is connected with the fate of the Aura Guardians. All of our lives are connected with theirs. They are meant to succeed against us. If we succeed in any way, we do so at a sacrifice." He turned towards the silver-haired man. "And if we _fail_ in any way, we do so at a sacrifice. If Brace is harmed, physically or mentally, then they'll be able to infiltrate and capture this base within half a day. I believe that is a major _'negative'_, Mr. Copper."

Copper shrugged, remaining indifferent.

Brace folded his arms. "Well then, Mr. Giovanni, why are we continuing to fight them? If we lose when we win and lose if we lose, then why aren't we just cutting and running? We can still retire rich and healthy if we leave now and give them what they want. Right? Or do we lose something from that too?"

"We will lose everything we've worked for."

"We'll lose it either way! We're going to fail in those efforts because we're destined to fail!"

"And what of those who are not affected by destiny?"

"Who? The Guardians?"

"No, they seem to be the ones writing this destiny…" Giovanni sighed and turned. "Copper, begin gathering troops for the assigned tasks. Brace, patch me to Butch and Cassidy. I want to speak with the Emperor."

Copper repeated his whistle. "We're that desperate?"

"If the Empire falls, then all that we have worked for will fall. The Emperor owes his life to what we have accomplished… and it is only his life that can protect it."

Brace stood silent, staring into Giovanni's form in the hopes of finding doubt. Moments passed before he nodded. "Very well, Mr. Giovanni. You will be connected to them shortly." He stiffly bowed and walked towards the room's door. He stopped inches away from it. "…You're sure about this?"

"I am. Save your concerns for when we fail. And ensure that we don't."

"…_Yes, sir._" The large man exited quietly.

* * *

The grass beside her shined tangerine, affected by the setting sun and its enthusiastic rays. Every tree, stone, and patches of soil glowed in shades of coral, gamboge, amber, and pumpkin as the sunset flared brighter as it touched a distant mist. Surrounded within a world of whimsical orange, she wondered if the forest felt relieved, awoken, or violated by the new color that temporarily conquered them. _It's the first time they've ever been anything but the color blue in years…_ she considered in an almost saddened tone, _I wonder if they'll ever miss being so._

She tilted her head at a peculiar sight. Amongst the countless oranged stems that rose from the ground, a single blade of lime green stood. _Even after the world turns to orange, this one turns green, holding true to the strange shade of blue that had been so ingrained into its life… In a way, that is how I feel now._

"You okay there, Sabrina?" a voice spoke as it approached from behind.

Two shadows blocked the sun's rays, returning the grass to its natural green.

Sabrina tilted her head up to show that the two young women had her attention. "I am fine, Dominique. Thank you for asking."

"You sure?" The blond-haired double agent sat to her left, plucking at the grass one by one. "According to Maylene, you guys were trapped in there for at least two days. And that you haven't had anything to eat."

"I had packed meals."

"Not what I said. Maylene ate. Bianca ate. But you didn't touch any of the food."

"I wasn't hungry."

Domino shook her head and sighed. "Look, Sabrina. I'm all for staying thin, and I think that pale skin looks nice on you, especially with your hair, but you seriously need to eat something. You're a Psychic. Psychic energy requires a lot of food to burn. We don't want you fainting while you're trying to save our hides out there."

"I haven't spent any of my mental energy since my last meal. I will be capable of assisting you in any of your upcoming endeavors."

"Taurosflakes, Sabrina. You're always prying into everyone's thoughts. Even when you're asleep."

"I haven't. Not this time around."

Domino stared at the Psychic in tried disbelief. She attempted to find any physical signs of a lie, despite knowing that Sabrina had a near perfect poker face. Unnervingly, the longer she stared at her, the closer she came to the realization that Sabrina was 'unguarded'. The Psychic's normally cold and distant facial expression was nowhere to be found – replaced by a warm and almost uncaring smile. _Arceus help us all. She's telling the truth._ "…What's the occasion?"

"No need to. I worry too much. Overthink too much. I tend to miss the details when I do."

"…Are you sure you're okay, Sabby?"

"Do not call me that."

The former Agent sighed in relief. "Well at least that hasn't changed."

"How are Maylene and Bianca?" Sabrina asked, turning her attention to the young woman on her right. "And the others?"

Casey stopped rolling in the grass and stared into the afternoon skies. "Maylene's still getting the rough treatment by May and Angie. She isn't fighting back though. Maya's still trying to talk with her, but you know how Ramies are. And Bianca still isn't talking, which is worrying Latias like crazy. Right about now, you're the only one that isn't a catatonic mess. _…I think._"

"And no one but you two decided to approach me because everyone still fears me?"

"People think you're better left alone when Ash goes missing…"

Sabrina frowned and looked away. "…_I'm sorry._ I'll get him back, I promise."

"_WE'LL_ get him back. _WE WILL._" Domino pushed. "Quit running off with Ash by yourself. We're supposed to be working as a team, remember? All this solo-stuff is what got us into this situation in the first place! Making that stupid plan with Sato without our consent or anyone else's input? Yeah, _real_ classy and helpful, Sabby."

"This is coming from the woman who intended on keeping Ash and Sato single regardless of what others wanted."

"I did that for the team. You know I did."

"And I made that decision with Sato for the team as well."

"And look where it got us!"

"I can say the same to you. Because of your hindering actions that prevented Ash and Sato's relationship from growing with any of the Mayas, he ended up with someone as irresponsible as Maylene. And Maylene's loose form of commitment was just as responsible for this situation."

"It's not like you couldn't have done something about it."

"And it's not like you couldn't have either."

Casey fell between the two, blocking their glares with her waving hands. "Okay, okay, we get it! We all screwed up trying to help out this team! No need to bite each other's heads off!" Sitting up, she gave a nervous grin to calm the atmosphere. "Anyways, we should be more worried about what we do from here on out. Sato and that Melody girl probably already made their way to Cinnamon Island by now and –"

"Cinnabar Island." Sabrina corrected.

"Cinnabarb, whatever! They might already be there and we don't even know which route they took. The waters must be patrolled by hundreds of Empire boats and we'd have no safe way in following them unless we found out which way Azelf took them. What are we going to do about that?"

Domino shrugged. "Why don't we just ask Azelf? He opened the door into his world for May, I'm sure he'd at least point us in the right direction if she asked."

Sabrina shook her head. "Incorrect. Azelf's world opened itself to May because she is an Aura Guardian. The Lake Guardian was not present when the portal opened – and it remains far too distant to be contacted. Azelf is no longer beside Sato, but it has yet to return to Valor Lake."

"How do you know that thing isn't beside Sato anymore? How do you even know it isn't here?"

"Firstly, I am a Psychic. I am sure that I could tell if a Legendary Psychic Pokémon's presence is nearby. Secondly, Valor Lights remains missing. If Azelf had returned to its world, then I assume that the Lake's barriers would have returned. And thirdly…" Sabrina's cheeks shined pink as she pressed her palms against the center of her chest. "_I am still bonded to Ash. He's telling me Azelf's not with them anymore._"

…

…

"_**YOU'VE BEEN TALKING TO HIM THIS ENTIRE TIME?!**_" Casey roared as she throttled the Psychic off the grass.

Sabrina quickly shifted out of reality and reappeared behind the baseball enthusiast, pinning her to the ground and covering her mouth. "_Shhhh!_" She looked over her shoulder, ensuring that the outside members hadn't noticed the tussle. The others remained ignorant, busied with their own troubles and interrogations. Satisfied, she returned her attention to the disabled Casey. "_Don't let the others find out._"

"Hold up." Domino's brow twitched in irritation. "Since when could you talk to him at this distance? I thought your bond only got intuitional signs this far out."

"Need I remind you that Ash is currently locked away inside Sato?" The Psychic let go of her victim and faced Domino. "If at any point Ash loses control of all his senses, his bond with me can act as a direct extension. It's similar to how Sato would speak to us when we were unified as Quinn – he could only do so because he was forced out of all control over his shared body."

"Then wouldn't Sato know about this little trick? I'm sure he's expecting Ash to use it to his advantage."

"He is very aware."

"…And that doesn't bother you at all?"

"Nope."

The former Agent massaged her forehead, annoyed. "And why not?"

"_That's – a – secret~!_" Sabrina pronounced each word with a childish pose.

…

"_O-Oh…_ Sorry." Her face turned pink in pure embarrassment. "When I'm bonded to Ash, I –"

"No need to explain. I know how you get around him." Domino sighed. "Look, as stupid as it is, I trust you. So I won't ask. But at least promise me we'll work as a team this time. I'm tired of all this running around."

"_And tell Ash that I miss him._" Casey grumbled as she wiped the grass stains from her coat. "Don't forget to call him 'sir' for me." she added.

"Alright. And I promise, Dominique. It is best if we work together from now on. No more secrets held from one another."

"Except for why you're not worried, apparently."

"Well, yes, other than that, no more secrets… And Ash says he misses you too."

Casey's mood suddenly brightened at the message. She blinked in surprise shortly after, remembering something. "Right! Before I forget… Sabrina, we have a prisoner."

"Half-prisoner." Domino clarified, "Apparently Misty knows her and the Mayas want us to give her a chance." She tilted her head back, gesturing towards a lone figure leaning against a tree.

Sabrina stared at the woman, studying her features with interest. "…A Hunter?"

"How'd you figure that out?"

"Her physique. And how she prefers to lean against her left leg. It is a subconscious behavior that all new Hunters seem to have. I am guessing she is a new recruit. Two years at most since her initiation. A hidden weapons specialist? She keeps massaging her wrists; she must have had wrist devices attached – unless they were bracers or tags of some sort."

"Who needs a Leanne when we've got your keen eyes?" Domino complimented.

"Hey, I made the same observations!" Casey growled.

"Yeah, but you already knew she was a Hunter. So it doesn't count."

"Her name?" Sabrina asked before they could start an argument, "Associates?"

"Lace. No idea who her associates were. They're either dead or escaped."

"And which of you captured her?"

"I did." Casey chimed in pride. "Knocked her out before she knew what hit her… _I need a new bat, by the way._"

The Psychic smiled and patted her on the back. "Congratulations, you managed to capture one of Sinnoh's best Hunters."

"H-Huh?"

"She is part of Hunter Larcos' team. A much decorated group of Hunters within the Sinnoh division of the Empire. Their Lead Hunter Larcos is known for being a daredevil – preferring high risk operations and Hunts. His team has also been known to constantly lose their third member during their more difficult Hunts. Considering that she is a female, I doubt she is the secondary member Dolan. So an additional congratulation must be given to you, Casey – as Lace very well could have died during Larcos' Hunt for Ash."

The purple-haired young woman's eyes widened. "There was a bomb attached to her when she came at me! You're saying that's what they do with all of their third members?"

"Yes. And it explains why she is still noticeably fresh from her Hunter training. She must have replaced their previous third Hunter only recently."

Domino shrugged. "I'm just going to assume you know everything there is to know about everything from now on."

"There are still a number of things that surprise me, Dominique." Sabrina replied with a frown, "For instance, you mentioned that Misty recognizes this woman?"

"Apparently Ash and Misty knew her. Her real name's 'Giselle', but she's not a fan of being called by that name."

"…Ash is surprised by that name. He had not recognized her when she first assaulted them. …Does she show any signs of remembering a past life?"

"None."

"Any peculiar behaviors or traits?"

"Well, she can't hide or ignore her emotions. That's certainly peculiar for a Hunter, right?"

"Has she always had this problem? Or did this symptom only show at a certain time and place?"

"According to her story, she started losing control of it when her team got spooked in Hearthome City. The rumors of Empire troops disappearing there really unnerved her."

"_Ah._" Sabrina nodded. "Then she is not to be considered a prisoner."

"Hm?"

"Come, let us introduce ourselves to her formally. She is currently feeling out of place." Sabrina stood and waved her counterparts to walk with her.

Domino shrugged and stood with her. "I thought you said you weren't reading minds."

"I'm not. I'm reading hearts."

Casey followed the two. "This doesn't feel like something we'd do. I thought being the welcoming committee was a Ramie or Maya job."

The Psychic smiled. "When life throws you berries, you make sure you're the first to make poffins."

"That's not how the saying goes…"

The Quinns approached the female Hunter and happily greeted her into their group. The four held orderly and expected discussions, familiarizing themselves with one another's mentalities and comfort zones. Though initially stiffened and awkward, Lace slowly opened up to the three women, finding their professional distance to be preferable over the other members' over-casual and personal socializations.

Maya looked up in surprise, her attention caught by their growing volume in conversations. "_Looks like Giselle made some friends…_" She frowned and turned away. "_Traitors get along with traitors, I suppose._"

* * *

"I trusted you! I TRUSTED YOU!" she screamed. Her torn heart revealed itself through her watering eyes. Her choked tone trembled with her body. Hands gripped firmly to her quarry's shoulders, she dug deep with her claws as she bared her scowling teeth. Her eyes begged questions that only held disappointing answers. And she cried, "YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO TAKE CARE OF HIM! PROTECT HIM! You… _Of all of us…_ YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO BE THE BEST OF US! I LOOKED UP TO YOU! I WANTED TO BE MORE LIKE YOU! To have your stupid confidence! Your cocky smile and laugh! Your sense of responsibility and your strength! You were like a big sister to me! I looked up to you! I TRUSTED YOU!"

The young woman crowned with the bandana continued to roar, expressing crushed and shattered emotions and thoughts that she had never once shown before – or felt at any other time. Her distress was powerful, devastating, and impossible to ignore. Those around her found it difficult to hear the heartbroken rasps of her worn throat. And those involved with her despair found themselves absorbed in her agony.

Angie, who had once berated and yelled alongside her, now sat silently. Her own emotions and thoughts were now exceeded by her partner's. She was left alienated – unworthy to say that she had felt the same way. Any and all pains she had felt were now trivial and meaningless in comparison. Still, her eyes watered, perhaps from a wish to share the burden or perhaps due to her heart being drowned by the cries. Yet she remained speechless – staring into the motionless ground… no longer able to face the scene that she had helped create.

And Maylene… once proud and confident Maylene… was broken, quieted, and defeated. She had failed. By count, it was her third failure within the new reality. However her eyes promised that she had failed countless times before. The pride and honor she held and dedicated herself to were like double-edged blades: As strong as they made her when they were pristine, they had made her eternally weak in her detestable losses. The woman, whose shining pink eyes stared into the woman that she had wronged, was no longer the one many had familiarized themselves with and befriended. This woman, whose lips quivered in punished frowns and accepting smiles, was the one that had existed in a life that the majority had never known. Maylene had devolved to her former self, to the young, unconfident female that she had only known herself as.

It was a distressing sight. One that I could barely continue to watch. But it was one that I could not ignore either. This – _this scene_ – showed who these women were. Who they really were beneath their bold words and forward boasts. Who they were underneath their confident smiles and powerful actions. These were their true faces that only Ash had known… faces that only revealed themselves in his absence.

I wonder what my face looks like within my masks. I wonder how I cry and scream when I am at my worst – when I am my true self. How will Ash see me? Will he pity me? Will he find something beautiful that I myself cannot see? Or will he hate me?

It's a terrifying thought. Yet it's one I have to realize is a possibility. Who I am underneath these infinite smiles and frowns – I do not know, and I have never known. To be known who I am at my best, I must be known for who I am at my worst.

May, the Princess of Hoenn, at her very best, was a smiling and cheerful young lady. Her warm friendliness and caring personality could bring a grin to anyone's face. At her very best, she was confident and assertive when others needed her to be. At her very best, she was humble and agreeable because she wanted to be. On her own, she was an inspiration to many young women and a treasure for many interested males. She was a perfect partner for anyone that would have her – and she wanted nothing more than for Ash to be the one take her.

At her very worst, May was a clingy girl. She sought to please others too much, wanting to be accepted and seen as worthy in people's shallow eyes. She could never be alone and never strive for herself. She depended on people's words and interactions towards her far too much. She trusted too easily and forgave too quickly. She would gladly make the worst decisions of her life if it meant that her peers were happy. She would gladly forget the worst atrocities others had made if it meant that her peers would accept her again. And these traits had broken her many times before. More times than I would know, more times than anyone would ever know.

And it broke her now. In front of us all, regardless of the judgmental and pitying eyes of her peers and friends, May broke her persona and showed her true, desperate self.

"I TRUSTED YOU!" she would continue to scream over and over again. And no truer words would have left her lips within these moments. She had trusted Maylene, the most stable of the Ramies, the closest personification of Ramie herself – because the fighter was the only one who gave her pride and confidence in being a Ramie. Confidence in being herself.

The May of a previous life had long wished to be a Maya. And as close as she had come to be one within this reality, she never truly was. Her relationships and life would forever be shackled to the partnered friendliness of a Ramie – so unimaginably close to the one she truly cared for and eternally so far away from being theirs.

But Maylene had proven that a Ramie could break that rule. And that had made her an idol to May. That was what she wanted to be – That was what would make her worthy and important in this life, the previous, and the next. But Maylene's constant failures had only revealed the weaknesses of being a Ramie. She was the very best, and she was the very worst. And her relationship with Ash had proven it for all to see. An undeniable evidence of 'not being worthy' that all were a witness to.

_Will I be the same? Will we all be the same at the end of this insane game?_ Could we ever escape what makes us horrible? Could we ever become something more? If the worst of us made us who we are at our best, then would becoming our best be worth that terrible reminder?

At this moment, the Ramies didn't believe so.

And as I turn to give my attention to the others, I find what the others believed…

Maya is watching the Ramies, as intently as I was, if not more. Her eyes tell a story beyond words or lyrics. She had been in Maylene's position. In May's position. In Angie's position. She had been them, within different circumstances and different histories. _What was she at her worst and her best?_ I wonder. _And how did she face it? Did she face it as she faced the Ramies now? With pity on her lips and determination in her fist?_

Who could tell? Maya was before my time. I know little of what they had been and even fewer of what they are now. I only know the Ramies for what they are now, and little of what they had been. Only memories of jealousies and envies fill my mind and heart of who they were. But who they are now, I only worry for and pity.

In the distance, sit and stand the Quinns. They show a knowing indifference in their expressions. The tears, howls, and cries of May affect them little. Only slight frowns and respectful silences show their attempts at feeling care for the young woman's heartache. Void of that, they remain unharmed and unmoved. Whatever secrets they hold within their mind and experience gives them untold confidence. _"We can do better"_ their dispassionate faces say. _"We've done better"_ their resolute postures speak. _"We know better"_ their absolute quiet shout.

How I wish I could see into what they have seen and accomplish what they had accomplished, just so I could have that undented and unafraid outlook they hold now. The Ramies cause storms with their breaking, and yet the Quinns hold ever firm – rooted deeper than even the Mayas. _Yet why is it that they had never attempted to take what they wanted? If they were so sure, then why hadn't they done so already? What is their strength that hinders this? What is their weakness that empowers this? Could it ever be fathomed? Could I ever fathom?_

And my answer is found with my only nearby counterpart: Bianca.

We are Leannes, through and through. Who we portray ourselves to be can change with the slightest of winds yet remain as still as the thickest mountains. But who we are, we never are sure of and we never know. Even in our eyes – _Who and what our counterparts really are?_ – we are not entirely confident of.

Bianca was always so happy and cheerful. She would bring a spring to anyone's step, Human or Pokémon. Her smile would be the sunshine to anyone's day and her friendliness would be the much needed blanket that all desired. She was a delight. She was a true treasure. With her innocence, with her desire to remain innocent, she was the rarest of treasures…

But now she sat silent. Unspeaking to me. Unspeaking to others. Unspeaking to herself. Her lips showed no sign of smile or frown. What she felt deep inside, not even the Mayas could read. What troubled her thoughts, not even the Quinns could discover. Who she really was beneath this perfect mask, not even her closest selves could fathom. If she was a treasure, she was now buried and forgotten by time. Only the mystery and rumors of what she had been remained…

_Did she know? Did she know more than the rest of us? Or did she continue to ponder these thoughts and refused to express anything until she found the answer? Was she trapped within herself or did she lock all others out? How would I ever know?_

If she gave me an answer, I fear that I may be more troubled than relieved.

The only thing I could do was to stay by her side and wait for her to open her mouth. For a sound to escape her throat, a spark to appear in her eyes, or a tension to be found in her muscles. It was waiting for an end of times… the quiet before the storm… _or perhaps we were in its eye_.

Ash. _Oh, Ash. Look at how lost we all seem to be without you._ Yet it was because of you that we traveled so far from our comfortable selves. You asked us to take off our masks, to be your honest friend, your truthful companion, and your candid partner. And without our false faces, we worry over things that we have never worried over before. And without our lying smiles, we face things that we didn't believe ever existed. We face others as we worry over ourselves – _We worry over others as we face ourselves_.

_What is it that you're trying to teach us? What is it that we're supposed to find all the way out here? Or are you just as lost as we are?_

_Are we traveling this road alongside you? Or are you guiding us to something more?_

_All I know is that the longer I am away from you… The further I am from your scent and your presence… the more I question myself and everything around me._

Bianca, my Bianca – the one I had grown with and bonded my most precious memories with – would always be like this. She would always drown herself in questions that never needed to be asked. She would always worry herself over things that seemed so ridiculously trivial. And now I experience the same. _And I find myself scared._

_What of the other Bianca? The one that is by my side now?_ What questions spin within her mind that drives her into silence? What could wipe away her greatest of smiles and worst of frowns? What did you tell her? _Will you ever tell it to me? Will I fall silent as well?_

The moon begins to rise and the stars breaks through the darkness. A cold wind cycles through, bringing with it distant scents of a hundred events that concern none of us and none of us concern. In another lifetime and world, they would have been our worries – and we would have ventured to solve them. But in this one, we hold ourselves immobile – stiffened in our concerns of what matters most to us if we're so afraid to never matter…

Quinns move as one, unpacking items that were so thoughtful to bring. They prepare planned foods for all of us to eat and arranged comforts for all of us to rest in. Night is coming and they are its helpful greeters. We are their guests to a home we are unfamiliar with. As lost as we all are, they remain aware of where they stand.

_Is it because of something you told them? Will you ever tell me?_

Ramies surrender in unison, giving up in their broken struggles to give into the wants and needs of others. They've lost their spirit, and with it, the last of their energy and selfishness. Like livestock to slaughter, they despondently follow the signals that lead them to their beds and meals. No drive runs through them now. One would hardly believe that they were once defiant.

_What inspiring words of yours are they missing most now? Will you ever tell me?_

Maya returns to the role she had always been known for: tending to others with careful attention and loving patience. The flames of the campfire bring others great warmth, but it is through her touch that they truly lose sense of the coldness around them. Her selflessness makes us all wonder why her tongue and behavior were ever spiteful in the past.

_How did you ever bring out the ugly side of her? Will you ever tell me?_

And the Leannes wander. Already my blond counterpart had disappeared. Much to my surprised senses, I found her already retiring to one of the tents – silent as she had been by my side. I find myself concerning over where I truly belonged. I had never thought these things before. I had never seen Bianca like that before. Neither of us felt safe to face ourselves.

_Why were we so confused when you weren't even here? Will I ever know?_

As my body finds a comfortable spot to rest in, within the form of a woman I had only known through foggy memories, I relax my senses and look forward to my dreams. I wonder if I'll find you there… playing in that field… _when things weren't so confusing…_

* * *

Anabel tried desperately to run, only to find herself being pulled back. Her legs were tied to ribbons and ropes, being pulled further into the shadows the more she pushed. Her arms were pinned to her chest and waist, struggling against an unseen force that tightened against her entire body. She cried out in terror as the darkness crept up her neck and chin. It spread onto her cheeks and eyes, absorbing itself into her skin, sapping her sense of touch and taste and smell, swallowing the last flickers of light from her vision. Emotions, thoughts, and awareness were being taken away from her, locked away from her – they sprayed through her pores, disintegrating into empty spaces as she fell to the floor. She was becoming a husk of what she was, disappearing into the nothingness that had claimed her memory. With a granted breath, she was allowed to scream out one last word… "_**NO!**_"

Her eyes widened. Lights and lines warbled in her view. A scene had appeared and an environment had surrounded her. What any of it was, she wasn't sure. Yet her arms and legs still felt bound, and now a hand covered her gaping mouth. She panicked and struggled from the hold, feeling absolutely powerless without her Empathy. Her heart rate sped, her breathing fluctuated, and her head began to feel light. _No… NO!_

"_Calm her, quickly!_" someone had hissed loudly.

Two hands fell onto her shoulders. A numbing feeling of emptiness began to fill her every sense, devouring the panic and fear that resided within her. _The darkness…_ "_No…_" Tears ran down her cheeks, forced through the emotional void. "_Ash help…_"

**Thwip!**

Something had flicked her right ear, causing her to flinch in surprise. She whimpered.

"_Anabel. Anabel, it's me._" someone had said in front of her. Her eyesight remained blurry and fogged, not having fully adjusted to the growing reality around her. Only the silhouette of a person could be seen now. Its long and slender shape seeming _familiar_…

Anabel's eyes focused. A woman of shocking pale skin was knelt down in front of her. Her sharp eyes glowed a beautiful shade of blue as she widened them in adjustment. And her dark hair shined magnificent hue of green under the bright moonlight that covered her. Both colored features were rarely seen or noticed by those that knew this woman – but it was to be expected, as very few ever dared to look in her direction for too long. "_…Sabrina?_"

The Psychic uncharacteristically smiled at her recognition. "_Finally, you're awake._"

"_Awake?_" she muffled through the still-covering hand. The Empathic blinked and glanced at her surroundings. Much to her bewilderment, she was sitting, unharmed and unthreatened, on a forest floor… She had been dreaming. It was all a nightmare. And the world she had woken to was far more welcoming.

Stars sparkled brightly above; striking through the blinding blackness that blanketed the late night skies. Tall trees of differing shapes surrounded them; standing as the vigilant shadows that hid them from the world that existed beyond. Distant shimmers of Valor Lake shined between the leaves and branches; reminding her of their current location and past events.

A cold wind slipped and brushed against her hair and cheeks; refreshing her senses completely. The curious feeling of being bound was explained when she found herself still tucked within her sleeping bag. It was an answer that only brought one more question. With a shake of her head, she removed Sabrina's hand from her mouth and asked, "Wh-What am I doing outside? I thought I was sleeping in a tent."

The Psychic pressed a finger to her lips, gesturing for her to lower her volume. "_You were,_" she whispered, "_but you were about to wake from a nightmare, so we moved you out here._"

"_We?_" Anabel looked around, only now recalling the hands that were locked onto her shoulders. A strange ache ran through her system as she focused on who was holding her still. "_…Maylene?_"

The pink-haired fighter removed her hands and gave a soft grunt as a reply.

"_What… What are you two doing out here? And why would my waking up in the tent be a cause for concern?_"

Sabrina quietly stood and waved for her to trail behind. After watching the Psychic walk towards the forest's edge and peek around one of its trees, Anabel agreed to follow. She unzipped herself from her violet bed wrappings and crawled onto the grass. The chilling touch of the nightly breeze caused her to shiver. "_H-Hold on, I need a jacket…_" she stuttered as she looked down at the thin tank top she wore, borrowed from Angie.

Maylene lifted the dropped sleeping bag and began to adjust it. With pulls and folds across certain corners and edges, she had made the sleeping bag into a thick, wearable shawl and wrapped it over the Empathic.

"_Oh. Thank you. This is actually quite cozy._" Anabel smiled to Maylene.

The fighter only nodded and followed after Sabrina.

Anabel was ready to follow as well, but dawdled as she tried to release her hands from the bag-shawl. Several tries led to a pathetic defeat. "_…There's no sleeves._" she sighed and flapped her trapped arms awkwardly.

A third female bumped against her strange movements and walked ahead. "_…Oh, sorry._" the woman whispered before awkwardly rubbing her right arm, turning, and continuing.

"_Giselle? What are you doing out here?_" Anabel hissed as she looked around in panic. The 'prisoner tent' that was supposed to be occupied and guarded lay flat on the forest floor. "_Sabrina! Is she supposed to be out here?_"

"_Calm down. I'm not going to try and escape._" Lace pouted and gestured for her to come closer. "_Besides, you should be more worried about the situation up ahead._"

With extreme hesitation, Anabel slowly tiptoed to where the three women gathered, continuously glancing at Lace in nervousness. When she had reached her destination, she carefully peeked around one of the trees and scanned the area. In the distance sat Valor Lake, sparkling softly under the moonlight. And standing in front of it was a lone woman… jacketed orange, hatted green, and haired golden.

"…_Bianca. What's she doing out here?_" she whispered. A pain shot through her chest and head, forcing her to groan. A hand hovered over her mouth again.

"_Ssshh._" Sabrina hushed. "_You will be experiencing some slight discomforts. Please bear with it for as long as you can._"

"_Wh-Why do I have… feel sick?_"

"_Maylene is currently masking our Empathic and Psychic energies. It is why you do not have access to your abilities at the moment. All of us will feel slightly disorientated as long as she does so. Again, please bear with it and hold your volume low._"

"_Why are we hiding ourselves? Are there Hunters here?_"

Lace raised her brow.

"_Other than you._"

"_No._" Sabrina answered and pointed her eyes repeatedly to her right.

Following the gesture, Anabel found a large boulder by the lake… and behind it, another woman… camouflaged, yet a trace of blue reflections shined through her nature-made disguise. "_Is that Dawn?_"

"_Yes._"

"…_Why are we spying on Bianca and Dawn?_"

"_Only on Dawn._"

Anabel bent down and shuffled into a crawl, thankful for the sleeveless shawl as it prevented the cold grass from touching her skin. She squinted her eyes to better see the blue-haired Coordinator. As she focused, she was surprised how well-hidden Dawn had been and considered herself lucky for having identified the young woman on her first try. The impressiveness of the camouflage, however, only caused further concern. "_…Why are we following her? What did she do?_"

"_She is concealing it now, but I had sensed something disturbing when you three initially separated from Maya for the night._" Sabrina's eyes thinned as she glared at the female Empathic. "_Anabel, are you aware that Dawn is a Psychic?_"

It had taken all of her effort to prevent herself from gasping loudly. "_D-Dawn? I – Are you sure?_"

The older woman showed no sign of doubt or reconsideration. "_I can sense Psychics from several meters away. I am sure._"

"_H-How? How did we never catch this earlier?_"

"_It seems to be a recent development… Tell me, has anything strange happened to Dawn since the Quinns separated from the group?_"

"_N-No, not…_" Anabel paused. The burden of suspicion began to weigh heavily on her back. It was a private concern, one that only plagued the Mayas and was meant to bother no one else. But now it had been found by another… And what troubles that may have been caused by it – past, present, or future – was now involving those outside its intended group.

Anabel let the burden slip from her back. "_…Dawn has… become Maya. She had somehow become more synchronized with Maya's personality than both Misty and I. To the point where she can bring out Maya without unification. Personally, I've never seen her do it, but she's changed so drastically that I can barely recognize her anymore… I know this sounds insane –_"

Maylene cleared her throat, catching their attention. With a flex of concentration, her appearance immediately changed. Her pink hair darkened to a deep red, her eyes glowed golden, and her height had noticeably grown. "_…We can do it as well._" Ramie admitted before exhaling and returning to her original state.

Sabrina pulled the three women to the ground and stiffened. "_Maylene! Our cover!_"

The fighter grunted in embarrassed apology and returned the emptying sensation within the atmosphere. "_Sorry, I forgot…_"

Sabrina only shook her head and kept her finger to her lips.

In the distance, the disguised body of Dawn had shifted slightly, staring fiercely in their direction while remaining perfectly still. The four women held themselves immobile and only stared back, hoping that the trees and leaves surrounding them acted as better camouflage than the one the Coordinator wore. Minutes passed before Dawn returned her quiet attention to the blond-haired Trainer.

"…_As much as I find this revelation fascinating and curious…_" Sabrina finally attempted to revive their discussion, "_It still does not explain why Dawn is a Psychic now. If she has indeed become a lone extension for Maya, then she should be an Empathic instead. And I did not sense any emotional energies that revealed her to be such when she first separated in my presence._"

"_I was about to explain,_" Anabel continued, "_When Dawn became Maya, she started showing less interest in Empathy. Before, she was obsessed with the ability – constantly asking for lessons and tutorials on how to become an Empathic. Though she was never successful in that endeavor, she never gave up her enthusiasm to learn and try it. That is, until she became Maya. After that change, she had made an almost complete reversal in her personality._

"_She had become reclusive, drastically so. She busied herself with meditations, buried herself with notes, disappeared often to unknown places, spoke with random strangers, and dealt with matters that were private from us. And when it came to missions or jobs, she turned into an entirely different person. She was suddenly athletic, assertive, and intelligent. Not to say she was never like that… but this was almost a terrifying change. All her skills, and even some we had never known her for, had sharpened and empowered to an exaggerated state – and what was most disturbing was that she started feeling… heartless._

"_Somewhere along the way, Dawn had become less and less like Maya – except in the fact that she was becoming so out of Maya's influence. Misty assumed that she wanted to be everything that Maya wasn't, because Maya had seen herself as a failure in earning Sato's love and care. In her eyes, Sato had given up the world for everyone in it – he had sacrificed the chance to repair the world in order to renew it. To give everyone their chance at true happiness than to lose it in compensation. And that he would gladly do it again… Maya… Maya didn't want him to do that anymore. So she's becoming everything, everyone, that matters to him. So that he won't ever have to give up anything anymore. She would be his everything, to prove that she was the only one worth sacrificing a world for. To make him stop. To make him stop hurting himself for others. So that he could just be happy and live out life like everyone else…_"

…

The three listeners remained quiet. Each one was plagued by problems that were found in the Frontier Brain's words. None shared sentiments – and all wished to discuss a solution.

Maylene hesitantly went first, "_She… She won't succeed that way. That's not what Sato wants… not what Ash needs… She's only going to alienate herself if she keeps this up. From Ash, from Sato, from everyone. Dawn's… Maya's making a big mistake. It's only going to encourage Melody…_"

"_Relational implications aside,_" Sabrina spoke next, "_I'm assuming then that Dawn has had access to some sort of information library? No, that wouldn't be effective enough… Perhaps, a powerful Psychic Type Pokémon?_"

Anabel nodded. "_As you remember, she was mostly in charge of taking care of the pokémon even before you had split off from the group. While we were inside the Resistance base, we had her on full-time duty for that position – only giving her a break when Angie and Tracey were assigned as her replacements. Personally, I've added extra hours to that job, having her watch over my alakazam and metagross during certain hours of the night… though, in truth, I had put her in that situation so that my pokémon would monitor over her. I never considered that she could learn from them – if that is what you're implying._"

"_It is. Maya is a powerful Empathic. And in the previous life, Quinn had noticed that she had a talent for mimicry. 'Stealing' abilities and talents of others through her intrusive form of Empathy, sharp eyes, and quick learning. Mind you, she had never used it in such a direct and effective fashion, but it is not too shocking that she had learned to adapt it to this state… To have done so in such a short amount of time, however, is more than impressive – it's threatening. This only proves our initial perception of her to be worrisomely correct. To others, Maya may have looked harmless due to her kind and innocent appeal, but Quinn had always seen her for what she truly was: A patient hunter._"

The lilac-eyed Empathic felt a strange sense of pride from the Psychic's venomous description of her past life. Though she herself shared no similarities with Maya in that deceptive regard, to know that she was part of a woman who had become a threat to the mighty Quinn – was thrilling.

"_Speaking of Hunters…_" Lace added last, "_This 'Dawn' had threatened my life. How others seemed to treat her and how your testimonials made it sound like, Dawn was supposedly a kind and innocent young woman – simply misunderstood and misguided in her goals for love._" She twirled her fingers in the air dramatically, mocking the portrayal. "_But she must have had all of you fooled. That 'girl' was willing to kill me for my compliance towards this team, as well as some… information. It's because of her I became a prisoner of this team in the first place._"

"_What sort of information?_" Sabrina asked in interest.

"_She wanted me to tell her how I became a Hunter. Hunter Training 101-sort of information._"

"_And did you tell her?_"

"_Why would I not? That girl frightened me, and I was not looking forward to dying in the method she prescribed for me. And I thought, 'How much harm would a little manual really give in the grand scheme of things when read by an uninitiated?' …Of course, that was before I knew all this. A freak of an abnormal, she is. I think I just made a spark into a thunderstorm._"

"_Manual? What sort of manual?_" Maylene's eyes expressed alarm. "_For how to block out your emotions?_"

"…_Actually, yes._" Lace admitted, "_She didn't seem interested in my weapons or physique training, interestingly enough. She just seemed to be interested in my Hunter Doctrine manual. I just guessed that if it could no longer help me, a fully-trained Hunter, to block my emotions, then it would be of no use to her. Either way, I was planning to throw that crummy manual out eventually. A reject's a reject. No manual can save that fate._"

"_Did that manual teach how to block and control energies? Absorbing them, cancelling them out, or anything like that?_" Maylene continued to interrogate, desperate fear showing in her eyes.

"_N-No… Nothing like that._" The Hunter raised her brow at the fighter's change in tone. "_The higher-ups were still researching into those abilities, but found nothing conclusive… Though, if I wanted to, I could turn your body in to help with their research. They'd pay quite well._"

Maylene ignored the last comments and nodded to end her conversation. Her somber mood hadn't changed, yet the look of worry seemed to fade from her expression.

"_I'm kidding._" Lace half-chuckled. "_They're cheapskates._"

"_Dawn is becoming quite formidable._" Sabrina returned the subject to focus, "_With Hunter Training she can effectively make herself completely immune to Psychic and Empathic energies. And with the amount of pokémon already within her arsenal, her physical and mental improvements, Maya's Empathy, and her growing power in Psychic abilities – she will no longer need the rest of us to face the threat of the Empire._"

"_Unless she faces Hunters or a big-name Elite Agent._" Lace mentioned matter-of-factly, "_Hunters will void any of her abnormal powers, and many of us are trained to face pokémon. Mind you, we're not trained to face as many she has, but if we Hunt in packs larger than six, she's easy prey. And Elite Agents? The highest-ranked ones are said to be an abnormal's nightmare. The only way this Dawn can work effectively against us is if she has a Guardian by her side or if she can outplan us at every turn. I know of no one immune to Aura or forward thinking._"

"_Which is why she plans on finding Sato and Melody. And why she is closely following Bianca._"

"_But…_" Maylene nervously voiced, "_Bianca doesn't know which route they took._"

"_And even if she plans on using her as a hostage against Latias – Latias won't be able to find any trails._" Anabel added her thoughts, "_Latias only recognizes Ash's scent. If Sato was the one that left, it would take her far too long to identify it. And their travel would be slow, especially with a hostage in tow._"

"_I was referring to 'forward thinking'._" Sabrina clarified, "_Dawn knows that if she follows us, we will eventually lead her to Sato and Melody. But right now she needs someone who has information on the Empire. If she hasn't approached any of the Quinns, then I assume she's searching for the other Bianca, 'BiBi'._"

"_Then why is she following the blond Bianca? Why not follow Latias? Latias has a better chance of knowing where her friend went._"

"_Because Latias is hiding with us._"

An open patch of grass to Anabel's right shifted in shape and design, revealing a red and white creature laid flat beside them. Both Anabel and Lace nearly yelped in shock from the unexpected appearance. Sabrina held their mouths closed.

"_She was the one that showed me Dawn's location. She has remained protected within Maylene's ability since then. She fears for both her and Bianca's safety._"

"_S-So… if she's hiding from Dawn, and we're following Dawn because Dawn is following Bianca, because she couldn't find Latias… and we're endangering Bianca because we're keeping Latias hidden… where does this leave us right now?_"

"_It leaves us in surveillance duty. Dawn has not made any movements towards Bianca. She has remained hidden and is only watching her. For what reason, I am not entirely sure of. But whatever she is planning to do is beyond my thoughts at this moment. She could be planning something sinister, something ingenious, or something none of us hope to expect…_"

The five females fell silent, turning their attention towards the camouflaged Coordinator and the standing Trainer.

Countless seconds passed before one of them made any movements: Bianca spun on her heels and faced away from the lake. With a cheerful skip, she made her way back to the tents – passing the hidden females without any notice.

The figure hidden behind the boulder didn't follow. Instead it placed its head on the rock's surface and began weeping…

…

"…_Or we could have completely misread this situation…_" Sabrina mumbled, ashamed.

Lace smirked in amusement. "_Well, I certainly didn't expect that._"


	21. Persuasion

"Dawn? What's wrong, dear?" Anabel approached the Coordinator, reaching out to pat and massage her back in comfort.

The blue-eyed female recoiled at the sight of her. "A-Anabel?! How did you…" She looked around in panicked suspicion. "Why are you out here?" she asked in a friendlier tone, wiping away the wet trails that marked her cheeks. "You should be sleeping."

"Why are you crying?" Her hand pressed lightly against Dawn's shoulder.

…

An uncomfortable silence filled the air as the Coordinator and Frontier Brain stared at one another in differing concerns. In calm quiet, Anabel patiently waited for an answer to her question, allowing the young girl to look deeply into her half-widened eyes, to show an unbiased sense of love and care. Dawn held a vulnerable gaze within an atmosphere of tension, masking her careful analysis of the woman in front of her. The two watched one another carefully attention, never breaking eye contact.

"_…I just miss Ash…_" Dawn finally whispered in admittance.

"I miss him too." Anabel smiled sadly. Her lilac eyes seemed to darken to a deep violet. "But that's not why you're here, is it, Maya?"

"…I'm not separate from Maya, you know." she answered calmly. Her hands busied themselves with the twigs and stems of her camouflage, suppressing her sudden build-up of nervous energy. There would be no hiding from an Empathic as skilled as Anabel, yet both Dawn and Maya still attempted to control their emotions - hoping it would be enough. "Maya and I think and act together. If you refer to either of us, you're referring to the both of us. No need to call either of us out. We're both responsible."

Anabel smiled at her curiously. "You reveal your hand as if you never meant to hide it…" She looked away, moving through thoughts and perceptions before continuing with a sigh, "_You know… right now… I want to ask you why you chose Dawn. I want to ask you if you know how it makes me feel - how it makes Misty feel. I want to ask you what you're planning on doing with Ash and Sato…_ But those things aren't important right now."

The lilac-haired Empathic walked slightly to the side and found a small patch of dried grass to sit onto. With a brush of her hair and an adjustment of her clothes, she made herself comfortable and returned her attention to her counterpart. "What is important is… why were you crying?"

A strange vibration filled the space between them, one that only Maya could feel. Anabel had opened herself, exposing her innermost feelings and emotions. It was a sign of trust towards an Empathic, and far more than a simple sign for an Empathic to give to another. "Anabel…"

"Right now, the others are worried about what you're trying to do with Bianca." the Frontier Brain explained with complete honesty, hiding nothing from the stronger Empathic, "But I know that she's not the victim here. Not if you're the one crying. You're the victim. Why is that?"

"What in the world are you talking about?"

"Maya… as cold as the others think you've become… as deceiving as we've all seen you become… I know you haven't changed at all. You're doing this for Ash. For Sato. It's always been about them." Anabel slowly turned away, staring into the shimmering moonlight of Valor Lake's surface. Her heart revealed a sorrowed care; an exhausted love for one she could never attain, one that she could never satisfy. It had once been a place for her emotions for Ash, but now it only mirrored her counterpart and her unified self. Betrayal and avoidance is what had worn her spirit - yet she held firmly in her desire to be complete. "What was Bianca thinking, Maya? What did she think that made you feel this way? …It was her thoughts that hurt you, right? Thoughts you read with your… _psychic powers…_"

"How did you…"

"Maya…" Her violet-glazed eyes looked wearily up to Dawn's ocean blue glance. An unnerving frown formed against her lips - one that resembled someone far too unlike who she was supposed to be. "I know I'm a Quinn. By wish, I know that's who I am now. You were desperate to hold the same bond you saw between Quinn and Sato… and that's why I am who I am. I'm not a Psychic. I don't have that bond. But I was supposed to be the closest thing to her between the three of us. That's why I was affected most the night you first took Maya for yourself…"

"_So you sensed it that night…_"

"I did. I'm more sensitive to these things than even you were. Am I correct in that?"

"I guess you would be if you really are a Quinn. It would also explain why you knew I was a Psychic now."

Anabel shook her head. "As I said, I don't have any psychic abilities of my own. Quinn was simply the one most 'together' compared to the rest of us. She always has been. Because of that, Quinns naturally stick together… even if we're not from the same person."

Dawn's eyes sharpened, realizing the meaning behind the Frontier Brain's words. "So the other Quinns are spying on me."

"Only because you're scaring them, Maya. They don't depend on emotions like we do. They can't understand it as immediately as we can, or express it as clearly as we can. The way we depend and use emotions to push us forward? The way you're pushing everyone else away because of them? It scares them. In their eyes, you're going to make a terrible mistake if emotions are all you follow. And the way you're doing it alone now? I'm inclined to agree with them."

"And how are you planning to stop me?" Her eyes became thinner. The sound of slow and heavy breaths escaped her lips as she exaggerated her inhalation.

"Please don't try that." Anabel gently pressed her hand against Dawn's chest. The touch emphasized her continued honesty and openness with an unfamiliar feeling of closeness. She continued to speak with a gentle and soothing tone, "You've only just learned it. It can hurt you. And besides, I am not planning to stop you, Maya… I'm planning to help you."

The strong breaths halted. "…Help?"

"Not in the way you want me to. I'm not going to betray this team just to get back Ash and Sato. He wouldn't want that. Neither of them would want that. What they would want is for us to work together and look after one another."

Dawn frowned and backed away. Two voices alternated between one another as she replied, "…I'm not going to help a group of people that are just going to let Sato give himself up again… Not again. When I gave up my life, it was supposed to be the end of it all. Sato was supposed to move on… but he didn't. He gave me another chance. He gave us all another chance. And he took that chance just to give himself up. For others. And now? He has one more chance. And he's planning to give up his entire life for all of us again. And we're just going to let him do it. Again. I'm not going to allow that. Not again. I won't let any of you influence him anymore. He's going to live the life that he should have… I'll make sure of it."

"But isn't that similar to what the girl Melody said?"

"Melody doesn't know Sato. She doesn't know Ash. She doesn't know what he's been through, what he deserves, what he's missing. She can't see that he's making the worst decision of his life. She can't save him from that mistake. I can."

"And what makes you think we can't? What makes you think you're the only one capable of saving Ash from himself?" Anabel's eyes winced, halting the tears that shimmered at their edges. "_I want to make him happy too._ I don't want him to just give himself up for people that would never appreciate him. And I want him to experience the life that everyone else deserves. You're not the only one, Maya. Dawn. Both of you are so scared to lose him that you're treating everyone else as your enemy. But we're you're friends. I'm your friend. I'm you. I may be like Quinn, but I'm a Maya first and foremost. I agree with you. But not like this. You need to trust us. You need to trust me!"

"And what if I'm not making the right decision?! Would you still agree with me, knowing that I'm in the wrong?!" Maya spat back – a torrent of fierce emotions swirled around her… filled with doubt and fear. "Who could I trust when I can barely trust myself?!"

"…Did Bianca think Sato was making the right choice?"

Dawn fell silent. Her attention crawled to the grass below her feet, watching each blade sway with the soft wind – wishing the conversation would be carried away by the breeze. A heavier wind blew, buffering the sound of her long sigh. Little by little, her emotional shields began to deteriorate – and with it, her own camouflage. Her hands slid and pinched at the branches and leaves attached to her natural disguise, showing pieces of the skin and clothing that lay beneath. More of her own emotions showed in time – surprising her counterpart in its final revelation.

Sitting before the Frontier Brain was a young woman named Dawn. Her blue hair and eyes sparkled brightly under the moonlight, despite the tired bags and dirt-powdered patches that marked her features. She was young. The youngest of all the women within the group. And far too young to have seen and experienced half the events and atrocities they had faced in only a matter of weeks. Despite her age, she seemed far older than the woman existing within her heart…

Inside Dawn's chest hummed a powerful energy. Through Anabel's Empathic eyes, a woman of long, flowing orange hair sat in the Coordinator's position. This woman was far older, far more mature – yet even she was young. In her time and life, Maya was the youngest of the members to travel with Sato. Maya had always been the youngest, always the most naïve, yet it may have been her youthful mindset that fueled her extreme dedication to the one she had loved. Where Ramie had given her loyalty and physical efforts – Where Leanne had changed her identity and behavior to prove herself – Where Quinn had made herself an extension – Maya had promised her heart and her mind. Sato would always be the center of her world – she had made him her foundation and purpose by choice, rather than by need. Her dedication had come close to a sense of fanaticism and ill obsession… _But she's willing to touch insanity if sanity compels everyone else to give Ash up…_

"What did Bianca think?" Anabel asked again in hesitation. It was a question that held an answer that all others sought. The mental energies of Sabrina and Latias warped strongly in the atmosphere, chilling the very air around them. Both Empathics were aware of the intrusive minds, but all knew that the question had to be answered eventually. "Tell me, please."

…

"She spoke to Ash." Dawn and Maya finally answered, both voices speaking at once, "She asked him what 'love' meant to him. And he answered.

"Love, to him, was a connection. Items known as infatuation, lust, fascination, admiration, care, and even loyalty and trust did not define the word 'love' for him - they were only factors of relationships, and products of love – but not love itself, and not a relationship in itself. For Ash, love connected people together, and pokémon together, and everyone together. It was a simple view, the most generic and unbiased view of 'love' that we all tend to have when we're not describing relationships of romance or friendship or partnership. But Ash was convinced… is convinced that is 'love' in its entirety and we're the ones confusing its definition with all the other details."

…

"_I agreed with his sentiment, you know._" Dawn's hair shined a bright orange and her height slightly grew. Maya's eyes stared off into long lost times, pulling a smile onto her lips. "When Sato first told me about this kind of love in that life we shared so long ago? I grew to admire him. I wanted to follow him. For him to tell me more about this love… And then I deeply fell in love with him. What he said was true. I believed they were true. I knew they were true. What he said made sense of everything I had ever worked for as an Empathic. It made sense of why people acted the way they did, and why we were the way we were. What he said to me that night just absolutely amazed me and renewed my view of life. And I knew then that he had to show the rest of the world that meaning of love… But… that view of love was self-destructive."

Her lips quivered weakly as powerful memories flooded her mind and drowned out her heart. A pain spiked within her chest, capturing and sinking all emotions of those that could read her Empathy. "Sato gave that love to an ungrateful world. People used him and abused him, much like they did with pokémon. But unlike pokémon, he had no one to protect him, to fight for him. Many times we, his closest friends and allies, would be his defenders and comforters – but many times we were also the ones taking advantage of that unconditional love. He was left to fend for himself, and he had no desire to do so. That sort of one-sided love broke him at one point…"

**_Take my love… take my care… take everything I have, Sato… You deserve it. You deserve to be happy like everyone else! PLEASE ACCEPT MY LOVE!_**

Maya winced away the haunting visions. Her eyes refocused, as if adjusting to a renewed darkness. The moonlight above was blinded by passing clouds, covering them in shadows that the lake had been virgin to for years. An anxious expression formed on the ever-young Empathic, reflecting several fears associated with the blinded light. "And that breaking point changed him. Permanently. His view of love had changed with him. Though love's definition and value remained the same, the methods one would take to protect it had altered… The Sato I had known and loved was willing to restart the world after we had made mistakes, mistakes that could never be fixed. He was willing to risk everything to try again, even if it meant that we fail all over again. But the Sato of this reality won't allow us to try again. In his eyes, we've lost sight of the right path and we'll only continue to tread away from it. As if we've thrown away our chance. He's lost trust in us – in all of us. Because of how we abused that love. Because of how we continue to abuse it. Because of how we're still so selfish with our wants and desires – we've failed. And we'll only continue to fail."

"He can't be certain of that." the lilac Empathic challenged, breaking the silence she had held with respect.

"He can be, because we will. We'll not only continue to make mistakes, but we'll drag the world down with our choices once more. Perhaps we'll drag it even deeper into the darkness this time…" Maya sighed and looked into Anabel's eyes. "_Tell me…_ What do you plan to do after all of this is over? If we had succeeded in ridding the world of the Empire, getting rid of the darkness, and setting Arceus free? What was your plan?"

"Live life."

"Is that all?"

"All life is precious. Don't underestimate a simple one."

"I don't. But you do. Do you know what 'live life' means? Do you understand what the implications are in such a simple phrase? Let us say you do live life. What happens to Ash or Sato? What if neither of them chooses you? And what if the one they do choose only hurts them? Do you just say 'you get what you deserve' and move on or do you fight for them? Both choices are self-centered because it doesn't take into account the other's heart. Both are selfish. And to be void of both choices is simply heartless. After that point, whatever choice you make out of love and care will be either hypocritical or meaningless. Any choice you make within 'living life' after all of this will be sacrificing, harming, or ignoring another's entire life and well-being. Consider that before you answer me again: What do you plan to do after all of this is over?"

"I stand by it."

"Then you are selfish. And you've just proven Sato's point: We will fail."

"What do you mean? What does Sato plan to do instead?"

"You already know what he plans to do. His plan is unselfish and bears no consequence than losing his own right to be selfish." Maya frowned. "No one is benefited with luxury, but no one is cheated in suffering. And in the end, with all the power of the darkness and Arceus in his hands, he more than likely will try to figure out a way to unite people, pokémon, and all other creatures together. More than likely using himself as the common enemy."

"WHAT?!"

Maya pressed her finger to her lip to lower the other Empathic's volume. "That's not his plan. That's just my guess."

Anabel sighed in irritated relief.

"But I wouldn't put it past him." Maya stifled the calming atmosphere as she continued, "Remember that he believes in the same form of love that Ash does, only disagreeing in how to protect it and express it. It's selfless, and only aims to love and cherish all things. ALL things. Which opposes every being's natural desires in life. _Think about it, Anabel…_ The life you want to live after we solve all of this, is selfish. No matter what choice you make, if you go against Sato's plan, is selfish. Getting rid of the darkness, freeing Arceus? We can't guarantee that they will remain unused if we were to just move on in life. You're simply removing the immediate danger and hoping someone else will take care of it if it ever returns. You don't care about future generations and the suffering they'd go through if another group were to take their power. And you can be sure that there will always be those who will want to abuse their power.

"In this time, it's Team Rocket who had made themselves the Rocket Empire. In my time, it was Team Rapture who had made themselves the Rapture Empire. And there will be infinitely more that will come into existence as long as there is something worth taking. Sato is ensuring that they'll never be able to. For as long as he lives."

The lilac-eyed Empathic frowned and shook her head. "But he can't be sure of that. Someone could take that power away even with him guarding it. And he can't even be sure if anyone will try to take it from him. What if he were to pass away, with no one ever attempting to take either power? He would have wasted his life for nothing."

"And what if it's the will of the world that someone sacrifices their life for this, Anabel? Sato is an Aura Guardian, more so than Melody or Ash. He was trained and raised to be one, and he dedicated his life to it. _And he was chosen how many times to protect this world?_ The world chose him for this. And if we were to take that away from him, we would be selfish. We would doom the world just so we could be happy with him for just one day. We would sacrifice this world's peace just so we could fight over him again. We would gamble everything just so we could keep him. That's selfish, Anabel. You know it is."

"What does he expect us to do then?! What if… What if I don't want to be happy in this life without him?! What if he's the only one who can make me happy?! Who can care for me the way he does?! Isn't that heartless? To take that away from us the one thing we want most? The world restarted and we still wanted to be by his side, Maya! He was lost from us when the darkness took him away and we still fought to get him back! Now he's just going to lock himself away and never let us be with him? Deny everything that we've done just to be with him?!"

"So then be with him."

Anabel fell silent. The stronger Empathic's simple reply had taken her aback.

_Be with him?_ she considered for only a moment. Energies of distaste flowed through her heart seconds after, reminding her of why she had disagreed with Sato's plan initially. "Standing guard for all eternity? That's no life to live."

"Life is what you make of it, no matter where you end up." Maya answered with a proverb. One that Sato had taught her. "And where best to end up than with the one you love? Where one can survive, one can thrive. And I'm sure you could find a way to make things more interesting there. Sato has the power of Arceus to ensure no one can release the darkness. What makes you think he can't use Arceus' power to make life comfortable for himself and those who decide to stay with him?"

"I… _He can do that?_"

"How else did you think he was going to survive alone, separate from the rest of the world? As far as I know, Sato doesn't even know how to plant a vegetable – where is he going to get his food from?"

"…But can't that be considered selfish? To use Arceus' power for himself?"

"For protection and self-preservation in order to continue protection. Arceus isn't an integral part of nature. Arceus has already created nature, and all things created can function on its own. The only thing we're aware of Arceus being a participant of in the current world, is safeguarding. And what needs more safeguarding than Arceus itself? Others would abuse its power; Sato would prevent that abuse permanently. He's continuing Arceus' task of protecting others while ensuring Arceus' own safety. What is selfish in his decision and actions?"

"_So then…_ We can just live life with Sato? We'd always be protecting Arceus and the darkness… but we can still live even with that as a responsibility? …S-So… if I wanted to… _raise a family…?_"

"No safer place than under a God Pokémon's protection."

…

Anabel smiled softly to herself, dreaming of a life spent with the one she loved most – separate from the concerns of the world outside of them. Her heart quickly sank as a dreadful feeling spread through the air. She looked up to find Maya glaring at her in complete disappointment. "Maya?"

"_So you're on his side then. Even when you asked me to trust you._"

"…But what about…? After everything you said…"

"What I said was the right thing to say. What Sato believes in. What Sato's attempting. I told you he was in the right, _and there was your proof_."

"Maya… What are you planning to do?"

"Something none of you are willing to do… Sacrifice the world for the one I love."

"Why? You know that wouldn't make him happy… You know there's no need for that. So why go through with it? Didn't you say that you knew what you were planning on was wrong? If you know it's wrong, then why continue with it? You're not irrational, Maya. People think you are, but I know you aren't. You aren't either, Dawn. And I'm not. None of us are irrational, so just tell me, before you decide to just run off… Why are you against this?"

"Because Ash is against this." Orange hair faded into its deep blue as Dawn returned to full ownership of her body. The Coordinator turned and walked towards the forest, stopping halfway. With a swift, yet surprisingly silent movement, she pulled away a disguised trapdoor and lifted a backpack from its container. "And, by the way," she voiced loudly enough for her counterpart to hear, "So is Bianca. You'll find that she's not here anymore."

"Dawn, wait! That doesn't answer my question!"

Her hair shifted orange once again. Maya stiffly turned and faced Anabel. Tears slid down her cheeks as she smiled. "You've made your choice, Anabel. Sato's right in his decision, and you agree with him. That's good. It's unselfish of you. _And I wish you two the best of luck._ But the thing is… Unlike Sato, Ash still believes we can win without having to resort to this. That we can still win without having to be this form of selflessness. It's a long-shot, and we'll more than likely fail and just ruin everything… _but I'm willing to try._ I'm willing to risk everything just for that chance. So I'm going to save Ash. And I'm going to show my man that small, naïve part of him wasn't wrong to put his trust in us."

"But…"

"No more questions, Anabel. If you think what I'm doing is wrong, you can stop me later." She removed the last of her camouflage from her person and adjusted her beanie. "For now: Let's settle with agreeing to disagree and sort out the details when we meet again. Until then: See ya'!" Dawn bowed quickly and sprinted off into the woods.

Anabel chased after, pushing herself into a panicked run.

"Let her go. You won't be able to catch up. Not at her speed."

A voice to her right caused her to stop in her tracks. Facing its source, Anabel found a blond-haired woman leaning against a nearby tree. How she could not sense the obvious presence sooner, baffled her. "…Dominique?"

The double agent tipped her cap in acknowledgment. "Looks like it's just you, Misty, and me from now on."

"_… Just us?_ What do you mean?" she asked as she looked around in nervous confusion.

Answering the Empathic's growing and stressed puzzlement, Misty stepped forward from her hiding place in the shadows. "Everyone chased after Bianca. Only Dominique and I stayed."

Domino shrugged and lifted a shoulder bag "But we should head out soon ourselves. They may be heading the wrong way for now, but our path isn't going to be easy either."

Anabel stared at the two in bewilderment, finding the replied information to be far too sudden to comprehend. She watched as both females began to check and prep their belongings for a long journey. Their actions caused her to feel as if she was running out of time – though what was expected from her before that limit was gone, she could not fathom. Her head felt light as her heart felt heavy. She expressed herself in words before the ailing weights could overtake her decisions, "_I… I don't know what's going on. Where is everyone? What am I supposed to do?_"

The double agent shook her head and smirked. "Everyone's gone chasing after dreams, while we, the sensible ones, are left protecting reality. So come on. Grab your things and follow me. Sato's going to need all the help he can get."

* * *

A thick fog streamed through the sky, shading the clouds that had already shaded the sun. Blankets of bright white hummed and hovered across the smoke-like surface, showing where the morning's light attempted to break through the double-thick barriers that hid the world below. Through this spectacle, the mountains around and the valleys below were dimmed into a perpetual half-night, revealing enough light and color to walk forward, yet hiding enough in shadows to make one victim to mistakes.

Two travelers, refusing to be victims to foolish confidence, sat far from a cliff's edge, watching the scenery around them in curious delight.

Rocks and pebbles fell and rolled away as a round, shark-like creature squeezed its way out of one of the many mountain's natural crevices. She sniffed at the ground, having followed a scent from her den. Finding the two travelers, it opened its massive jaws in threatening defense. The travelers didn't react in surprise or fear, only staring at her with a strange change on their lips. Though wary of their presence, she continued to move towards them, realizing that the scent she was attracted to emanated from their position.

One of the travelers held out a small object. Its shape was odd and the coloring did not match anything natural, but the smell was unmistakably edible. With a careful but quick approach, the creature picked up the object with her front teeth and retreated a safe distance away.

The travelers only continued to stare, with the strange change on their lips. Hoping for no immediate threat to be hidden within their actions or intentions, the creature bit down on the object and swallowed it immediately. It had been the first meal she had eaten in weeks, and it was more than just satisfactory – it was delicious.

One of the travelers, the one who handed her the food, murmured from his mouth a strange string of sounds. She couldn't understand him, but felt as if he was happy that she had eaten. It was an odd reaction to give or be given, but it had made her feel warmed and welcome.

With hesitant steps, the creature wobbled forward and sat next to the traveler. The action was meant to be a hint towards the strangers that she was willing to eat more if they were willing to give more. Though, in truth, she was fine if they never did. It was the first time in a long time since she had company, and she was happy that it was on friendly terms. No matter the outcome, she sat and stayed. And in minutes, she found herself staring off into the distance just as they had. What they were looking for - she wasn't sure, but it was calming to be near them…

"You live up here alone?"

The creature turned and faced him in interest. It answered his stare by opening its mouth and letting out a lengthened grunt.

Ritchie smiled and patted the gible on the head. "I hope you don't mind us being here. We'll be gone soon. _OW!_"

Solana laughed loudly as she watched the male Trainer writhe in pain from the Land Shark Pokémon's bite. She leaned over and gently placed her hands on its sides. With a careful turn, she raised it from the ground and held it upside down. In seconds, the pokémon opened its large mouth and became limp.

"_Th-Thanks…_" Ritchie whimpered as he blew at his damaged wrist and hand.

"You shouldn't touch wild gible. They tend to bite."

"_You don't say…_" he sighed in response and stared at the bleeding bite marks. "Hey, you think this needs medicine? It doesn't actually hurt that much. Just stings… and it feels shaky."

"Normally I'd recommend it, but we are getting low on supplies. And that's probably a scratch mark compared to anything we'll run into out there, so…" Solana carefully laid the gible on the floor and let it rest. Her full attention moved to the pokémon's victim, checking his injuries with professional worry. "For now, just wrap it up. It doesn't look too serious."

"Well that's good. I – S-Solana?! Wh-What are you doing?!" Ritchie's face turned red as the Pokémon Ranger began to lick the blood from his wrists.

She stopped and replied without turning, "Relax. Saliva's a good disinfectant."

"I-It is?"

"If it was your own saliva. Having others use their saliva might actually be less effective."

"Th-Then why are y–" The Trainer fell mute as he felt her lips caress his neck.

"_This is the first time we've been alone in a long while._" Solana whispered impishly. Her hand wrapped around his waist, pulling him close as her fingers playfully felt at the worn fabrics and soft skin that lay beneath.

Ritchie tried to pull away, though found nowhere to retreat to. "B-But w-we've been alone all this time!" he stuttered pathetically as his eyes fell into a daze. The Ranger's controlling weight caused his body to stiffen and become clumsy, making him lose all sense of orientation.

Solana grinned viciously at her young boyfriend's awkward movements. She found them adorable, loving, and… _vulnerable._ "_You know what I mean, darling. This is the first time we've been alone-alone in weeks. No one but you and me now._"

"A-And the gible!"

"_Sshh, you'll wake her up. That's not a very smart thing to do._" Solana brushed her head against his, taking in the scent of his heated body. "_And try not to make too much noise. Someone might catch us._"

Ritchie began to sweat. The older woman's intimately close proximity was enough to make him far more flustered than he had ever been, but her predatory intentions had driven him close to a breaking point.

It had not been the first time that the Pokémon Ranger had approached the male Trainer in such a manner, but it was the most forward she had ever been with the action. Within the weeks that had passed since their courtship as romantic interests, the two had become far more interested in and comfortable with one another. Where curious and shy thoughts had been found between them early within the relationship, confident and excited interactions grew. Where confidence and excitement grew in their interactions, their wants and needs in a personal partner revealed themselves and bloomed into physical gestures and habits. Roles within the relationship were sought and filled in as time spent together in close privacy had lengthened. And though such an advancement in their bonded life was only natural and most certainly welcome, there were some things the male Trainer Ritchie never felt he was quite ready for.

By adaptation and understanding, Ritchie had found himself filling in the roles of support and submission as Solana's partner. Actions such as cooking, cleaning, brainstorming, therapy, advice, negotiation, and reinforcement had come naturally to him – interposing where the Ranger was lacking and inefficient. In those things, he was accepting. His generally kind and obliging personality had fit him into the position smoothly.

Where he was ineffective or without, Solana had stepped in to take charge. The positions of leadership and control best suited her as Ritchie's companion. Expectations of decision-making, proactive actions, defensive reactions, improvising, and keen judgment fell upon her – taking up the responsibility of actions where the Trainer would have hesitated. They were expectations and responsibilities she gladly accepted. Her time as an independent Pokémon Ranger had prepared and adjusted her heart and mind to fit into her new position perfectly.

As a couple, Solana was the bold leader and Ritchie was the loyal advisor. They were roles that easily reflected their personalities as an individual, and their identity to one another as partners.

And it was within these roles that hidden traits in themselves were revealed.

Ritchie, though experienced and well-travelled, had found that he had a lack of confidence as an intimate partner. Whether it was due to his lack of interaction with humans for long periods of time in his lone travels or some unresolved issues from his past, he wasn't entirely sure. Whatever the case was, it had become a handicap when the Ranger's own hidden traits had surfaced.

Solana had come to find that she had an aggressive attraction to her partner, in every sense of the words. Her role within the relationship had placed her in a dominant position, which she had found to be strangely invigorating. Ritchie's role had placed him in a submissive position, which, when accentuated with his modest and reserved personality, she had found to be strangely alluring. Both revelations had made her attraction to her boyfriend spike significantly – encouraging a shameless sense of confidence in her approach to him as a lover.

The only factor that had prevented her from acting out her passion completely was his extremely skittish reaction to her sensual interests. In previous attempts, she had stopped herself from continuing further in her pursuits whenever he had hinted to objection – She still respected and cared for him as an individual. However, in her mind, she considered him as her property. Time within the dramatic dynamics of Ash's group had made her realize how rare it was to find a good male partner, and how fleeting one could be if one never claimed them. With those thoughts in perspective and her growing infatuation in her boyfriend – she had claimed Ritchie as her own. And after lengthened and patient respects towards his shyness to her intentions in several previous advances, Solana felt that she had given her property enough of what he had wanted - and that it was now her turn to take what she had deserved.

Her hand tugged at his vest, gesturing for him to remove it. When his catatonic body didn't respond, she dragged him away from its sleeves. The Trainer let out a mewled gasp in nervous surprise, enticing her to continue.

"Plaaa!"

…

Solana exhaled hoarsely and turned. "_Oh. Plusle. You're back._" she half-growled at the sight of her partner pokémon.

"A-An-ny news?!" Ritchie yelped in embarrassed jubilation, sliding back into his vest.

The red-marked Cheering Pokémon tilted its head in curiosity, wondering why the two humans were in an odd position - and why a gible was sleeping next to them. "Pla?" After staring at the strange scene for seconds and being given no tried explanation, Plusle shrugged and continued its duty: Solana's pokédev was lifted up and shown. A red marker was blinking on its screen.

Ritchie and Solana immediately pulled themselves to their feet.

"A distress signal!" Ritchie voiced as he began to gather their belongings into their rightful bags.

"And here I thought we would only be doing messenger duty again." Solana commented, worried for what had triggered the marker, yet excited to be called into action again. "Plusle, thanks for getting that signal." She patted its head in gratitude and retrieved her pokédev. "Ritchie? We packed?"

"Packed and ready." he confirmed with a nod, ignorant what had occurred just seconds before.

"_We'll finish our business later._" She winked at him teasingly. Readying the device on her wrist, she aimed towards the sleeping gible and focused her mind on the mission. "Capture! On!"

A mechanical top shot out of the device and spun rapidly around the sleeping pokémon. As it sped and trapped the target in a bright light, the gible awoke and hopped back onto its feet. The bright light dispersed, showering the air with small specks of white energy.

"Capture success!" the Pokémon Ranger cheered. With a nod of acknowledgment to their new helper, Solana began their rescue mission, "Gible! Use Dig!"

* * *

"Scyther! Use Swords Dance to blow a path through the smoke!" Tracey yelled through his gas mask, "Follow Venonat! She knows the way!"

"Running away? Not very heroic."

Tracey looked around in confusion, trying to find the source of the voice. _If I can use Venonat's Radar Eye, I could find them… But Venonat's busy with finding us a way out. Wait, I know!_ "Marill, which direction did that voice come from?"

"Mare!" The Aqua Mouse Pokémon quickly pointed to her left.

"Water Gun!"

A stream of white shot out from the smoke and covered the blue pokémon's mouth before it could attack. Marill muffled defiant shouts as it scratched at the mouth gag in vain.

"Oh my, you found me." the voice laughed and grew louder, approaching with the sounds of footsteps. Breaking through the smoke, a woman of slate gray hair and brown eyes stepped forward. An ariados rappelled and detached itself from a web, landing over the marill and constricting its body with its legs. The woman smiled in satisfaction at her pokémon's success before approaching the now-defenseless young man. "Now that you've found me, what will you do?"

Tracey was ready to leap forward and remove the spider pokémon, only to stop halfway, as the barrel of a pistol was pressed against his cheek. "_Marill, no…_" he whimpered into silence.

"I don't prefer to kill anyone. Well, unless they're my targets. But besides that, I really wouldn't prefer to end you and your cute little pokémon's life. So let's try civility, shall we?" The pistol was lowered and held lightly against her side. She eyed her prey carefully and curiously, eventually deciding to remove his mask with her free hand. "Hm. I guess you're almost cute, too. But you've got brains, and I like that. Bringing a gas mask? Some would say 'paranoid', I tend to think it's called 'expecting the unexpected'. Sadly, you weren't expecting someone like me, were you?"

The Sketch-Artist stayed mute, only answering her with his firm stare.

"Then again, I'm not really someone anyone could expect. But enough about me and you, let's talk about that girl you were protecting…"

"I won't let you touch Bianca." Tracey hissed. "If you so much as take a step towards her, I'll –"

"M-Marill!" his pokémon cried out in pain as the ariados increased its grip.

Tracey fell silent in response – encouraging the woman to laugh. "Enough with the bravado. If you really had anything to threaten me with, you would have shown it by now. And, for your information, I'm not talking about your girlfriend. But if you do want to make sure your bait stays nice and pretty, you'll tell me where you're hiding the other girl."

"… What do you want with her?"

"Why would you not know the answer if you're protecting her?"

The Sketch-Artist frowned and unlocked his eyes from the captor. _Honestly, I don't know why we're protecting her… he admitted to himself, I don't know why we're all the way out here and I don't even know why we're running from these two… I wish I knew. I wish Bianca would just tell me._ He closed his eyes and grit his teeth. An overwhelming sense of frustration grew within his chest and spilled into his stomach. His face turned red as he held back tears. _I wish you would just tell me, Bianca. I've trusted you this far… Why don't you trust m–_

**Smack**

His eyes opened in shock.

"Hey, hey, hey!" The woman patted the darkened mark on his cheek with her pistol. "Don't go dramatic on me. I'm not going to hurt you! Unless you try something stupid. But look, I'm being civil, you can see that. So don't go breaking down on me during this little mingle. That's all this is. Just a mingle. Sharing of information. You give me what I want, I give you what you want."

"Tell me why you're after the girl then!" he shouted, turning the sickening feeling into a directed anger. A part of his heart depressed as he realized that he was beginning to lose care for all those around him. Controlling his senses and emotions to remain true, he tensed his muscles and focused on the woman in front of him. "I really have no idea why we're protecting her. My… _boss…_ won't tell me."

The woman raised her brow and smiled at him amusedly. "You and your friends are willing to risk your lives for someone you don't even know? Maybe you're not as smart as I thought."

"_Please, just tell me._"

"And what do I have to gain from this? If you find the answer satisfactory, would you actually give her up?"

"In a few seconds, my scyther and venonat are going to wonder why I haven't caught up to them yet. Even if you have a powerful pokémon, I doubt you're willing to risk that chance. You saw how they dealt with your friend's pokémon."

"I saw how your team caught them by surprise. I also saw how none of you could stop them from chasing your friends out of the building. And I saw how you were trying to escape our little tussle. You and your pokémon aren't made for long battles. I don't even think your pokémon are meant for battle. So why would I feel threatened?"

"Because you're still trying to convince me that it's futile to resist instead of just going through the air tunnel my scyther made. Admit it, you're scared."

The woman laughed and patted his cheek again. "Cautious, dear. Not scared. But I like you, so I'll give you this answer for free: The girl's a criminal. A particular kind of criminal. The kind who breaks laws that everyone wants respected. She's on the run, and we were sent here to arrest her, interrogate her, and lock her up. Simple as that."

"Why would they only send two to go after this girl? If she is that big of a problem, I would have thought that the Empire would send more. Unless… you're Hunters?"

"Do I look like a Hunter to you?" the woman scoffed, "Hunters have those… _dead eyes_. No, I'm rather glad I'm not a Hunter. You don't have to be a Hunter to be effective. Me and my sister? We're fine without the freakish changes. And that's why we were sent by ourselves. Because we're good by ourselves."

"Apparently not if you haven't caught one girl whose only defense is a baltoy." Tracey responded coldly. He blinked immediately after, realizing the rudeness of his words. _What am I saying? This woman's going to kill me!_

The woman only stared in disbelief at his boldness. She sighed and shook her head. "Look, these kind of laws she breaks? Makes her hard to track. And it makes her even harder to catch. Before we actually saw her with our own two eyes, we thought she was a myth - everyone thought she was a myth. But now that we know she actually exists? We're going to make sure we catch her ourselves. What she does and how she does it are far more threatening than what any other criminal is doing out there. So everyone else can keep thinking she's just a myth. We'll take the responsibility of handling her."

"You mean you want to take the bounty for yourself." _Is that why they're the only ones out here? Wait… How did I know that?_ Tracey twisted his frown in confusion. Without his efforts, his mouth continued to speak, "And you're going to either take what she has that makes her so dangerous, or you're going to hold her for ransom, increasing the price of the bounty until she was worth all the trouble you and your sister were put through."

A strange spark appeared in the woman's eyes. Her dominant and distant features soon leveled and became equally interested. "_So maybe you are smart…_"

"Tell me why you want the girl so badly. What does she do."

"I don't have to answer that question. You're my prisoner." she stated, though Tracey could smell a slight fear in her breath. Not a fear of her prey, but a fear made from uncertainty. "And let's not forget your little pokémon too…"

"Marill! _M-arill!_" the Aqua Mouse Pokémon squeaked in pain, reminding its Trainer of its existence.

Though Tracey felt a sharpening bite of panic and concern in his chest, a smile crept on his face. "That isn't my pokémon. I would never own such a weak creature." His eyes shifted to the left without command, catching sight of a shadow sliding across a hallway corner.

The woman moved her eyes to follow his.

Just as he had wanted. With a quick lean forward and sideways, Tracey pressed himself against the woman's arms, redirecting the pistol's aim while knocking her off balance. The action was slightly clumsy and couldn't guarantee a disarming effect, but it was enough. "Scyther! Skull Bash!" he roared as he attempted to grapple the weapon from his captor's hands.

The woman gasped and looked around in tensed alarm. Her attention was pulled in two directions: the man attempting to take the gun from her grip – the scyther flying towards them at a frightening speed. She could only succeed in one challenge, but she would be left vulnerable either way. "No!" she shouted as she elbowed the man in his throat and pulled the weapon back into her control. Her gun was chosen as the more important concern, and she had hoped it would have been the correct decision. It wasn't.

Before the handgun could be aimed and fired into either threat, the Mantis Pokémon charged into her ariados and tackled it into her waist. Both victims were freed simultaneously, while both assailants were knocked away and severely injured from the attack. Scyther completed its blow with a struggled landing. It forced itself to ignore its aging fatigue and pushed itself into battle stance – ready for the next command.

No command could be given as the woman immediately rolled from her defeated position and fired several shots. The shots went wide, having no aim or target in sight when the triggers were pulled. Instead, the blind attack was meant to scare its enemies into defense, discouraging any approach.

"Water Gun!"

A blast of rushing blue collided with the woman's hand, slipping and pushing the weapon from her grasp. "Ariados –!"

**Click.**

The woman hushed the last of her command. Her pistol was in the hands of her prey, aimed towards her beloved pokémon. "Wait! _Please… don't…_"

"Tell me why this girl is important."

…

"…The girl was rumored to be a time traveler."

"Is she?"

"_…Yes._"

The weapon was safely unloaded and dropped to the floor. A look of relief and embarrassment filled the defeated woman's features. She nodded in gratitude for her pokémon being spared, but refused to make eye contact. To her surprise, a hand was offered to her. She looked up in confusion.

Tracey smiled at her. An air of gentle care, yet knowing arrogance shared his expression. "What's your name?"

"_…What?_"

"Your name?" he repeated. "I want to know the name of the woman who spared my life."

Her brow raised – confused, intrigued. She couldn't figure out the man in front of her – Though she had just met him on the battlefield, she was sure that she had analyzed him perfectly. But now his identity in strength and intelligence seemed to fluctuate. And far more curious was his intoxicating smile. What she had first seen as a plain face, had changed into something undeniably charming and handsome. Her cheeks warmed. "_…Oakley._"

His smile grew, capturing her heart completely. "Thank you, Oakley. I hope we can face each other again in the future – hopefully in a fair battlefield." He helped to her feet before nodding and turning. Reaching out, he recalled his scyther and marill into their poké balls.

She could have attempted a third strike as he faced away from her, but the strange feeling in her chest caused her to hesitate from the action. The only thing she sought to do was to return his question, "What's your name?"

Tracey paused in his retreating steps and tilted his head. "It's Farron." he answered with a wave, and turned the corner.

* * *

Todd crashed through the window, stumbling onto the emergency staircase. With a quick look of his surroundings, he hopped over the railing and caught a side drop-down ladder. Its rusted iron frames bit into his grip. He cursed under his breath and reached into his pocket. Two handkerchiefs were pulled out and wrapped around each palm. "_This should work…_" he hoped. Loosing his hold, his body slid down the ladder every four to five bars before gripping firmly again. He repeated the action several more times, checking his distance from the floor he had left and comparing his position from the threatening heights below with every slide. Finally finding the window he assumed to be the correct one, he swung himself from side to side and threw himself onto the disconnected stairway. His landing was clumsy and nearly rolled him into a fall, but he quickly latched onto a bar and dragged his legs into safety. With his feet fixed to the window sill and his knees pressed onto the glass, he forced a sudden pressure forward and struck at the transparent barrier.

**KISSHH** – the window shattered into several pieces. Todd leapt through and rolled into a strange stance. "Thought you could escape me that easily?" he remarked confidently as he stood.

The three occupants of the room stared at him in surprise – one slapped her face into her palm.

"Escape?" the blond-haired of the three asked as she tilted her head "I just ignored you…"

Todd ignored the comment and stood in front of the two younger women. "Don't worry, I'll handle this."

"_Handle this how?_" grumbled Bianca through her palm, "_You don't have any pokémon. And you don't know how to fight._ I told you to get Tracey!"

"Seriously, what's with this boy?" the blonde half-snickered, "Run along now, Mr. Paparazzi. This business is between big girls."

"I won't allow you to harm these two! HYAA!" Todd charged forward, only to be dodged and tripped. "Ah! Whoah! Whoah! _Oh no._ OW!" he yelped as he slammed into a wall during his attempt to avoid falling down the inner staircase. He groaned pathetically, slowly pushing himself to his feet. A sharp pressure was pressed against his spine, forcing him back to the ground. "Ow! Ow - _ow - ow - ow!_"

The woman twisted her foot, adding extra weight with her heel. "Now don't move, okay?"

Todd nodded frantically.

"Good." She smiled, returning her attention to the girls cornered in the room. "_Now then…_ Calista, was it?"

A young woman of light red-brown hair and green eyes slowly nodded. She hugged her unconscious baltoy tightly.

"You see how much trouble you're giving everyone? Your poor pokémon's injured, you've ruined my hair, you made my espeon very upset, and now you have these poor people caught up in your problems!" the older woman exclaimed, spreading her arms out dramatically while waving her pistol as a reminder. "Why don't you just give it up? Just come along with us and you won't have to bother anyone anymore. And hey, what if I promise that we'll take you back home after all this is over? Doesn't that sound like a good deal, honey?"

"_…on't have a home an…_"

"Hm? What was that? You have to speak up, honey. Mumbling is very unattractive for a girl your age."

"I said I don't have a home anymore!" the young woman shouted angrily, "You took it away! You all took it away!" Tears flooded from her eyes. She fell to her knees and wailed loudly into her pokémon's head. Though her body trembled violently from her sobs, she still had complete control – knocking away and avoiding Bianca's touch when the Analyst had attempted to comfort her.

The blond woman scratched at her hair awkwardly. "_I think I might have touched a nerve…_" She shrugged and faced the other female. "Well, how about you? None of this really concerns you or your friends. So why not just leave the girl to us and you can get out bullet-free?"

"I'm afraid I can't do that. Like you, I have something invested in this girl."

"Oh? Do you now? And here I thought we were the only ones that knew about her curious little secret…" She raised her arm, aiming the pistol directly at her target's forehead. "No hard feelings, but I'm not a big fan of competition."

Bianca flinched. "Wh-What if I gave you information? Something in exchange for her? You're an Empire Agent, correct? I have something that's worth far more to the Empire than this girl's life."

"I am, and I am sure you do. But sadly, me and my sister aren't particularly interested in whatever you have to offer the Empire. We have other plans with the girl." **Click.**

"Th-That's a big mistake! You know that, right? The Empire won't stop until they catch you! Even if you use her to your advantage, you have no idea what kind of powers you're up against! This Empire was built from the manipulation of history! You have nowhere to run from them! Every era and event in this world's existence was made by their control! If you travel through time, you're only going to run into their influence… I-It's an effort that will only be wasted!"

The weapon was lowered. "…Eh? You seem to know a lot about the Empire. Did you work for us before?"

Bianca blinked oddly. "_Uhm…_ Yes! Yes, I used to work for the Empire! The _uh…_ Information Relay in the Hoenn region! I worked in the Dev Department!"

"Hoenn, you say? _So…_" Her weapon raised again. "You must have been the traitor that assisted in Calista's first escape!"

"WHAT?!"

"Funny, they said they killed you. Apparently the reports were wrong."

"N-No! I'm not – I just made those things up!"

"No one knows about the Information Relay outside of the Empire ranks. And no one but those in the highest ranks knows about the Empire's history… Your little cover's blown. Good thing too, because I heard you know where that little time machine of hers is hidden." **POFF!** A single round was fired, just missing the Analyst's feet. "So either of you girls can come with us. If you want, you can both come. If not, I get to kill one of you."

"I – I lied! I don't know the location of her machine! I don't even know her! I just know she has access to a time machine and I –"

**POW!** Another round was shot – frightening the young woman into silence.

"Look, you're giving me a headache. I don't really care if you're lying or not – Fact is, I know you know enough to get us further than we were two minutes ago. That girl you're protecting is our priority, but if you think what we're doing is going to get us executed, you're welcome to come along and keep us safe. But if not, if you'd rather die now. I can grant that for you. Because either way, I can't let you leave alive anymore. So… Make your choice." **Click.**

"I… _choose…_"

"_This is pathetic._" a voice echoed dully against the walls.

The three women looked around in confusion, finding no one in immediate view.

**KRSSHH! KSHAA!** Several windows exploded one after the other, filling the floor with shards of glass and ear-piercing sounds. Within the chaos, a man and three pokémon made their entry through separate openings.

"Scyther! Quick Attack and disarm her weapon! Marill! Water Gun and support the attack! Venonat, on my call use Signal Beam!" In a flash of blurred movement, the commands were acted out.

The blond-woman turned, attempting to find the pokémon meant to remove her weapon. She only found a blue mouse-like pokémon charging towards her. Her finger hesitated on the trigger as her brain realized that she was not immediately aware of where the disarming attack would come from. The hesitation cost her the perfect shot – To her left a creature shifted into peripheral view, its green coloration moving far too fast for her to react. With one blow, her gun was knocked away from her grip. A blast of water struck at her chest before she could react, toppling her over.

Todd yelped in pain as the woman's heel dug into his spine as she fell to the ground. Finding himself freed from the imprisoning weight, he attempted to push himself to his feet – only to be struck at the back of the head by a hard-swung heel drop.

Resisting defeat, the female Agent pulled her poké ball free from its attachment and roared, "Espeon! Enough beauty rest! Help me out here!" A flash of red light followed, releasing a lilac-colored pokémon into reality.

"Now!"

A spear of rainbow colors darted through the air, striking the espeon before it became fully aware of its surroundings.

"ESP!" the Sun Pokémon cried out and tumbled into submission.

"NO!" The woman's eyes widened in despair. She attempted to crawl her way to her pokémon, only to be stopped by a large blade – the sharp arm of a scyther. "_Ahn…_" she squeaked and remained still.

Walking towards her with an air of complete confidence, the man who had made the surprise assault approached the woman and knelt down. "You've lost." was his greeting. He reached over to the dropped poké ball and handed it to its owner. "Return your pokémon and head downstairs. Your sister's injured and needs medical attention."

"My… sister?" The woman looked up, her eyes staring blankly in confusion at the sight of the man. It had been the same man that had attacked her several floors below - though this time his eyes seemed far deadlier… and his too-knowing smile seemed far more enchanting. "_Uh… wow…_" she gasped unintentionally.

"Your sister." he reminded.

"My sister! Yes! She needs my help!" Flustered and rattled, the woman returned her pokémon and clumsily ran down the stairs.

The man watched her stumble out of view, grinning proudly at his effect on women. He combed his hair aside and stared into his reflection on a broken wall mirror. _If I lose the headband and use it as a hair tie…_

"…Tracey?"

Farron turned, reacting to the name that belonged to his body. His eyes glared in disappointment when it found the Alto Mare native staring in his direction. "Do you always have to break down whenever Sato isn't around?"

"E-Excuse me?"

"For the past few days. You haven't been thinking clearly – and you're only getting worse! Just because Sato isn't here! Or… Or whatever you want to call him." Farron sighed and shrugged. "_You're hopeless._"

Bianca's eyes thinned, reacting to the strange accent the male Sketch-Artist now owned. "You're… _not Tracey…_"

"An Oran is a berry, but a berry is not an Oran – because not all berries are Orans."

"…Farron?"

"Ding - Ding - Ding! We have a winner. A bit slow, but you're not really yourself right now. Quite literally."

"How… _How did you?_ No, nevermind. That isn't important." Bianca shook her head and turned, giving her whole attention to the crying young woman in the corner of the room. "Calista's safe now. We should move on and find a place where we can clear our trails. Then –"

"Now now, Lea– _ah,_ Bianca. Before we go running off into your next not-so-foolproof plan, we need to discuss this whole 'time-travelling' business."

Bianca flinched. _We don't have time for this…_ "I was going to tell you sooner."

"No, you weren't."

"She totally wasn't going to." Todd agreed from behind. He patted Farron's back cheerfully. "Hey, Trace! I want to say thanks for the save, but I think I'm more thankful that you finally have the guts to question BiBi's authority!"

"Don't call me that." Bianca growled. "And I was going to tell both of you sooner. But saving Calista became our number one priority when the Empire Agents arrived. The explanation had to wait."

Farron rolled his eyes and sighed. "And what was your plan, exactly? Go through some time portal and stop the Empire from ever being made? Nice plan, but you need to take into account that doing so might just make things worse. We can't account for every possible future – We can't even figure out our present – Why bother with a more unsure past?"

"Even if that were your plan, that wouldn't be effective." the young woman in the corner added, silencing everyone in interest. It had been the first time she had spoken a word towards them – and the first time they had seen her without panic in her eyes. Shaken, but determined to give her warning, she continued her explanation, "As one of you have already mentioned: The Empire has full control of history. They are just as powerful in the past as they are in the present. There is no single point in time where the Empire came into being. Through carefully placed events and altered bloodlines, the Empire had made it so that they always existed. They are centuries old – and their strength has never grown or waned – It has always been absolute. I know this, because I have been to several pasts and futures…"

She stood and bowed to greet her protectors. It was her first chance to do so, and she owed them far more for the trouble that they had gone through to ensure her safety. "As you know, my name is Calista. And as you know, my baltoy and I have found the secret to time travel. Thank you for rescuing me, but I'm sorry to say I wasn't worth rescuing. We may know the secret to time travel, but we've only used it as a way to temporarily escape the grasp of the Rocket Empire. No matter what time period we ended up in: the story was the same – and I was always found out and hunted. I travelled between eras, constantly trying to find a place I could be safe, but time travel only allows a person to stay in a time period for a short amount of time… In the end, I always come back here, to my present timeline, just to make sure I'm not completely erased from history. _Though, I might as well be._"

The young woman of lightened red and brownish hair cradled the baltoy in her arms, rocking it gently as her mind circled in an attempt to sort her words. By all accounts she should have paused in her stories and asked her rescuers for their names – she should have also left them without further involving them with her problems. But it had been the first time she had met anyone concerned for her wellbeing – It had been the first time she had met anyone positively interested in her existence. Knowing this, she could not stop herself from continuing her untold tale, "You see, the bothersome thing is, this timeline isn't… It isn't right. The Empire was not always like this. The timeline wasn't always like this. I know this, because I came from a different present – one that was nothing like this. I knew of time travel then, and during one of my researches into the past, I witnessed a catastrophic alteration in history. I moved between timelines to avoid being affected by this change, only to find that every year, every month, every day, every second of time was being affected. Finally, I returned to my present – becoming distraught as I found that it had changed completely as well. And in this present? I never existed… _I was never born, and I should not be here. By all accounts of this changed history, I am a ghost._

"And that's why the Empire is after me. That is why those women hunted me. That is why so many more have chased me for countless days and weeks. Not because I can make a difference in their present or future – Not because I am a threat to what they can or cannot do – but because I'm the only reminder of the past they fought hard to get rid of. I'm a stain on the perfected history that they have created. An afterimage of something they thought they had deleted. A ghost from a world that no longer exists. _And they want me to disappear with it…_"

…

"Well… that was a nice recap of everything."

"Farron!" Bianca struck the former Pokémon Master lightly against the shoulder.

He only laughed in response. Shaking his head at his own humor, he quickly sobered his smile and approached the young woman. With a bow and a kiss on her hand, he introduced himself, "I apologize for my rudeness. I meant no harshness in it. I am just being foolish for foolishness' sakes. As you know, my name is Farron. It was my pleasure to rescue such a beautiful young woman, with such dazzling eyes. And it was an honor to meet one with a truly fascinating history. You have been through a lot. Truly, you have. But fret not, for we will ensure your safety from here on out."

Calista's face turned red. "_Ah… Ahm… N-Nice to meet you._" she stuttered quietly.

"And my name is Todd." the Photographer greeted with his own approach, kissing her other hand.

"ENOUGH!" Bianca pushed aside both men kicked at their shins. "I apologize for them." she grumbled, "They tend to be like that whenever they meet a new woman. Or… one of them is like that. The other normally doesn't do that, but he's not quite himself at the moment.

"My name is Bianca. These two are my… _guardians_ – Tracey and Todd. _Don't call that one 'Farron', it might encourage him._" she ignored their introductions and started anew, "And we are in a similar state as yours. We too came from a time when the Empire was only known as Team Rocket."

The young woman's green eyes lit up in recognition. "_Team Rocket…_ Team Rocket! Yes! That was their name before they became the Empire!" An excited grin overtook her gloomy expression. "Are you time travelers as well?! I came through an invention created by the Baltoy Civilization! What method did you use? I had no idea there were other civilizations or even current technologies even capable of replicating its effect!"

Bianca shook her head. "We're not time travelers. We were just unaffected by the Empire's changes in history."

The time traveler exhaled slowly, showing slight disappointment with the answer. "Ah… I see. Then what is it that you want with me? As I've explained before –"

"I don't plan on using the time machines you have unearthed. I only require your first-hand knowledge of the Empire's past." The Analyst adjusted her shoulders and removed her backpack. Opening it, she pulled and presented a large notepad. "I've taken several notes on historical events, mostly based on now-banned or destroyed books. But the facts written within them could still be biased or altered. I need you to confirm or edit them for me."

Calista stared at the notepad curiously and began to flip through its pages. She stiffened as her fingers pinned down a half-flipped page. Peeling the page back to its full length, her green eyes widened. "_This is…_"

Bianca looked over her shoulder. Her face instantly blushed. "O-Oh! That shouldn't be there!" She removed the loose page, folded it, and placed it into her backpack. "I tend to doodle and sketch a lot… Sorry."

Calista's widened stare remained. "Was that… Ash?"

Farron and Todd rolled their eyes and let out frustrated sighs.

Bianca dropped her bag, frowning. "_…Of course you'd know him…_"

* * *

"Ever since that day, I've worked hard on chasing my dreams of becoming an archaeologist. And well… you know the rest. Lots of time travelling, writing up papers, getting offers from investors and researchers, then things begin changing, and then one day I come back from one of my travels to just find all of this…" Calista sighed, ending her story as she placed a marker on its side. She closed the notepad and slid it towards Bianca.

The Alto Mare native began to flip through its pages, surprised by the number of edits and highlights that were made despite the time traveler having lost all of her own original notes. _She must have impeccable memory to be able to recall all this… Though I suppose an archaeologist specializing her research on a civilization that unlocked the secrets to time travel must have exceptional memory._ "Thank you for the help with my notes, Calista."

"And for the amazing tales of your life." Farron added, "They were enchanting. Let me just say that I'm relieved that you followed through with your dreams. Not only would it have been a shame for you to undertake a career you had no passion for, but that decision you made literally saved your life."

Calista blushed and nodded. Her eyes didn't turn towards the man that had spoken to her, refusing to be completely dragged into his charms. A slight laugh from her throat expressed the gleeful yet nervous emotions she felt in responding to him, "Honestly, I don't think my story compares to the ones you've all shared. All of it is so awesome and unbelievable. I can't even imagine what it's like to have someone from a previous life to live inside your own body… Doesn't it feel strange at all? To be in a body that isn't the one you were born with?"

Farron smiled, seeming to silently thank her for her curiosity and concern with his stare. "In a way, this feels like my old body. Not quite, but almost. As if only a strange portion of it was taken away, and it had adjusted on its own. I can control it when I'm awake and aware. But if not, it just feels like I'm asleep. Not too strange, really."

"Speaking of the one who owns that body…" Todd leaned in and nudged Farron with his elbow. "_What's up with Tracey in there? He sleeping or something? Aren't you supposed to look more like Farron when that happens? Like Ash does with Sato?_"

"_I'm very awake._" Tracey grumbled. He leaned closer to Todd and lowered his voice, "_I just honestly don't know what to say. Farron keeps saying terrible or obviously dishonest things, but no one seems to care. I'm beginning to think they actually like it! …I seriously don't know how to react to any of this._"

"_Just enjoy it, man. Bianca's actually giving you more attention this time around. Farron's helping you out._"

"You realize I can hear both of you, right?" Bianca hissed as she struck both of them with her notepad. Her attention moved to Calista, who was staring blankly at the three of them. "Calista… You mentioned that you had met your future self, correct?"

"Yes. My experience with her had given me the reason to disobey my parents' desires for me to become a doctor. Doing so had practically saved my life."

"And she had done this in order to prevent you from hesitating your passion in archaeology like she had."

"Correct. She had not appeared since then."

"Yet you still hold the memory that she had visited you. You changed her past, which should have altered her present – discouraging your future self from ever coming back to the past to affect you – and discouraging you from remembering such an event whatsoever. So either you had been stalled in your efforts from becoming an archaeologist, which would give her reason to still return to the past, which would then explain why you still remember her appearance. Or…"

"My actions had created an alternate universe." Calista finished Bianca's explanation. The two held the same ideas and considerations. Though what Bianca intended to do with the agreement, Calista was not yet fully sure of. "The changes I have made created a parallel life, one that branched away from what was intended."

"_Alternate timelines…_" the young woman from Alto Mare whispered softly. Her volume returned to an audible level when she gave her full attention to the time traveler, "That is our way out of this, Calista."

Calista blinked curiously. In seconds, her eyes lit up and a smile crossed her face. "Of course! Alternating timelines!"

Todd scratched his head. "_Yeah… alternating timelines… Erm…_"

"Would one of you be a dear and explain this for my friend?" Farron hummed, "He doesn't quite seem to understand. _Hrk!_" He coughed away a pained grunt as he rubbed at his injury.

The Photographer struck again with his elbow. "Don't pretend like you understand it. You're just as lost as I am, you idiot."

Bianca answered before the two could continue striking one another, "It means that her past meeting with her future self, along with the changes that Team Rocket has made to become the Empire, proves that we are not in a single timeline, but a branching one. The Empire hasn't altered our past, they merely created a new future, through entering an alternate timeline that had not reached our point. These changes cascaded, affecting multiple universes at once, and created an entirely different life separate from the others previously given. That is to say, somewhere, in a parallel universe we cannot see or rightly fathom, is our present – the one where we had come from – continuing to move forward through Team Rocket's failure or disappearance from the timeline through its success. In that world, we very well could be living life as we always should have. But we cannot return to that timeline, not permanently, that is. Like Calista's future self, we would only be able to visit for a limited time, as no two exact beings can coexist on the same plane for too long…"

"_…So if we can't exist there simultaneously… then… do we kill ourselves in that world?_"

"No!" Bianca slapped her notebook against Todd's head. "We do as the Empire did and create our own future. We stop them in this timeline, take control of Arceus, and return things to the way 'they once were'. Of course, what we would be really doing is affecting an alternate timeline to create the new future that continues off of the past that we had lost."

"…What?"

"In simple terms," Farron explained for his younger counterpart, "We're not changing or returning to any past since that is not possible. What we are doing is creating an entirely new universe that closely resembles our own, but simulates us 'changing the past back to its former self'. It's not actually changed, as I said. It's simply made to look like it."

"And that helps us… _how_, exactly? I mean, from our point of view, that's the same thing. Change the past – Make an alternate universe where it looks like we did – What's the point of figuring out the definition if our action involves the same thing?"

"He has a good point." Tracey agreed his own voice. He flinched when he realized that Bianca glared at his reaction in deep disappointment. "W-Well, I guess I'm just not sure what we're doing right now. So I don't know if this information is _even a hint to what we're…_" he hesitated. The female Analyst's glare had not weakened, only becoming fiercer as he continued to speak. Despite it, in spite of it, and with confidence from his completed self, he continued, "trying to accomplish! We've traveled with you everywhere, done everything as you said, saved you more times than Todd would care to count, risked my life more times than I was comfortable with, and you still haven't given us any clue to what we're doing! And this? This little silent agreement you're having with some stranger – no offense – just isn't fair! So it'd be lovely if you would just be more open with us rather than guiding us on silently as if we'd never agree to it if you told us what was going on! It's getting ridiculous!"

…

Bianca stared at the male Sketch-Artist curiously. His sudden outburst had surprised her, but had also intrigued her. Tracey had always been loyal to her, following her every command and advice without question or reply. He had always been protective over her – fighting against friend and foe alike to defend her name and safety. Yet now he was showing defiance through Farron's influence. Though it removed a notable shard of the charm she had found in him, she was somewhat happy for knowing that soon she would no longer see him as a silent tool. Tracey was now a human being – with wants and desires of his own, ones he would refuse her own to attain his – And she now had to interact with him with respect and understanding if she were to expect his continued support. It was a growth that had made him far more dependable for the long run.

She nodded and answered his concern, "If we were to 'return to our world' through altering this world with Arceus, we would be sacrificing thousands, if not millions, of successful and improved lives. Returning to our world would mean bringing things back to the way they used to be. While it is true that several people were refused from birth in this reality, such as Calista and ourselves, several more were granted it, such as Angie's 'sister'. And while many have suffered under the weight of the Empire, it's not too strange to consider that many other lives have succeeded through their influence. We would be committing the same atrocities that Team Rocket had done to us if we were to accomplish our goals. We would be no better than them."

"But you said yourself these sacrifices were worth it. You told me that because this reality was changed just for the wants and needs of only a few, that the intentions had made these changes wrong and selfish." Tracey sighed. "You said that by returning everything to the way things were, we would no longer have to worry and stress anymore. We could just be innocent again… We could just go back to us living life again instead of constantly living in fear… Any sacrifice was worth that sense of peace again. _You said that to me…_"

"And I meant it. But not everyone would agree with it."

"_No…_" His eyes thinned before widening into a glare. He approached her with a sneer and slammed his palms onto the hollowed wall beside him. A loud and dull echo sounded around the old, abandoned building. "This isn't about 'everyone', is it?! This is about Ash and Sato!" Tracey's voice wavered between his own and Farron's, their intentions and thoughts began to mold into one as they shouted, "We're doing all this for him, aren't we?!"

"Whoah, whoah, breathe, buddy." Todd shuffled in and patted Tracey's back in order to calm him. "She said nothing about Sato and Ash. She said 'not everyone'. I mean, if I think about it, I'm not too sure if I agree with it either. It does seem pretty selfish of us to just go around changing the present to what we want and just say 'too bad' for everyone else."

"Except Bianca never had a problem selling out everyone else." Farron spoke, "It's why we abandoned the group and left the Resistance at the mercy of the Empire. Because they would be great distractions for whatever she had planned. 'Being kind' isn't a main priority for Bianca. It never was for Leanne. The only time she cared about being kind was towards pokémon and towards Sato. Every other human… _even her closest friend…_ would be fine fodder."

"Not a very optimistic guy, are ya'?"

"Neither are you, but that's not the point. The point is, little miss Analyst here threw us halfway around the region just to confirm something, to find an excuse, to use as an offering for her Ash, so that he wouldn't be angry at her."

The Photographer raised his brow, turning towards Bianca. He sealed his lips and waited for an answer. Whatever excuse she could have held would now lose its effect – Tracey, of all the ones within the team that followed Ash, had given the Analyst the most attention and thought. If anyone could have understood what was hiding within her masks, he would have known. He had only been too kind to hold accusation against her for any misleading plans and desires – but with Farron's influence and memories, he was now too willing to give her what she deserved. This was what Todd had been waiting for - for one of his counterparts to finally understand the painful rejections he had faced under Casey… _and for the heartless female criminals to finally pay for their coldness._

"It's true." was Bianca's answer. Her eyes remained cold and unrepentant. "I was looking for a reason to give Ash for what I was trying to accomplish. However, there is a logical explanation beyond just my own emotions."

"Which would be?"

"Ash was chosen as the world's Aura Guardian. This world's Aura Guardian. If we were unaffected by the changes Team Rocket had made to the world we were in, then they should have vanished into an alternate timeline and we would have remained where we were. Instead, we were transferred with them, with no histories to follow our existences. That means Ash was chosen and guided into stopping Team Rocket's Empire, one way or another. What he chooses to do and how he succeeds or fails in it will determine the very fate of this timeline, and for all we know: his actions may determine the fate of all other timelines. That is why it is important for him to agree with we're doing. If he were to disagree, then the universe will ensure we fail."

Tracey's eye twitched. Farron's voice hissed, "_Even in this life…_"

"Repeat that?"

"So we went all the way out here just to find some evidence for Ash. Now what?"

"That wasn't our only purpose coming out here. Each area we've stopped by and gathered information in were vital in building our plan to defeat the Empire. Meeting with Calista wasn't just to confirm what I would say to Ash and Sato, but having her help with my notes also confirms what will and will not work in our plan."

"You mean _your_ plan. We're not even sure what we're doing yet."

"Which is why I've decided that this was a good place as any to show everything I've had planned so far…"

The two male artists flinched. Whatever sense of control and cool they had held seconds before were betrayed as their curiosity forced them to be attentive. Emotions and thoughts of distant doubt were far more deserved for the woman that had selfishly led them, but time had only made them uncaring of what was or wasn't deserved. It had been countless days since the female from Alto Mare had ever revealed her hidden cards – a moment that had sparked an entirely new journey for those involved in her plans. And now she was willing to share what she held within her mind once again. Todd and Tracey would not allow themselves to miss this.

Bianca knelt down and opened her backpack. One by one, she placed several notebooks and pads in front of her, each of them filled with hundreds of torn pages and enclosed files that were uncleanly ordered according to importance. It looked like a mess and nothing similar to the careful tending that Leanne had been known for with her own notes, Farron considered, but the importance of each page's contents still remained.

"_INCOMING!_"

The room flashed black as two broken windows were blocked from the sunset's light.

"Ranger Solana!" a feminine figure shouted as it flew in, swarmed and protected by a mass of combees. The Tiny Bee Pokémon split away and allowed her to land dramatically.

"Trainer Ritchie!" the second shadow yelled as it swung into the opening. With a quick twist, he cut the rope and rolled into a defensive stance.

"Drop your weapons and surrender now! We have the building surrounded!" they exclaimed in unison and slid into a coordinated pose beside one another.

"Plaaa!" a plusle cheerfully cried as it popped itself through the open doorway.

…

The three travelers within the room stared in disappointment at the duo's late arrival. The fourth was noticeably alarmed and had raised her hands stiffly.

Bianca reached over and pulled down Calista's arms. "They're friends." She turned towards the two and growled, "_Late_ friends."

Ritchie and Solana laughed in embarrassment.

"S-Sorry, we got lost along the way." the Trainer admitted.

"One of the hills on the way here must have had some kind of mineral, maybe magnetic - they confused the direction of the signal." the Ranger attempted to explain.

"Nevermind that." Bianca sighed. "You two are just in time for the next phase of the plan. Find a place to sit to help me with these notes. _And please call off the combees, they're quite distracting._"


	22. Fates

"New day. New night. Many night gone. Many thing of familiarity gone. Disappear on mixing day. Only night remain same. Only fire remain same. Change often, disappear often, but always same. New flame. Old warmth. New night. Old comfort."

Another stick was thrown into the campfire, causing specks of lighted bark and darkened ash to float lazily into the sky. Pops, hisses, and fizzling sounds quietly followed the sight, decorating the quiet wind with altering ambience. The forest around them hummed in tune – harmonizing into a noteless song familiar to its listeners. It was a song that played for them the night before, and the night prior to that. Several nights had passed in similar fashion – beside a new campfire, surrounded by gathered and used supplies, and beside a lone, white stump that stood the test of time.

Ash's Sanctuary. An opening within the forest of Pallet… a land of no town or history.

Like many towns, cities, and sights before it – the town of Pallet had been affected by the Empire's grasp of the altered reality. No walls were built, no road was paved, and no plans were made. In the only timeline known to the world's existence, Pallet Town had never been inhabited – nor had it ever been considered for claim. It was a wilderness of untouched nature and undiscovered beauty. An ancient virgin to the footsteps of humankind.

Despite this, Ash's Sanctuary remained. The toolbox containing every trinket and object that pushed the young Pallet Town Trainer into his journeys was now gone, the lonely swing set haunted by a forbidden entity had never been made, and no personal markings could be found on any tree or stone. Yet the Sanctuary remained, and so did the eternal white stump.

The white stump continued to exist, remaining cut as if it had always been. History could not remember its cutter, yet the scar remained.

Sato smiled sadly as he stared into its pure white bark. "_…It means you still have a purpose here, don't you?_"

"What say?"

"No important." He shook his head as he replied, "Good poem. Where learn from?"

Melody blushed softly and grinned. "Made self… _ah… myself?_ Made myself?"

"I - made - it - myself."

"I made… it myself. Yes?" she repeated his mouth movements and attempted to associate the right sounds that came with them. She was acknowledged with a nod, which encouraged her grin to grow wider. An excited sense of pride filled her heart as she continued to repeat the words in her head, _I made it myself. It myself. I made it. I made it myself._

Her voice became silent as she reminded herself of many more phrases she wanted to memorize. _This is for you. I did not know that. How are you feeling? Are you sure? I'm cold._ Each phrase that passed her thoughts was one she had said in prior nights and had wanted to recall for future conversations. And each one continued to help with her understanding of 'heard words'.

_I like the weather. I need some privacy. Where are you going? Do you mind? This is delicious._

For Melody, the relearning of 'heard words' was similar to remembering that sound was more than just vibration and pressure. Though she was born a hearing child, she had spent years rewriting her entire understanding of language and sensations in order to become an effective and capable deaf individual. The forced adjustment had made it extremely difficult to recall the nuances of heard language and tones, as she had rewired her mind to instinctually reject her former associations of sound and dialect. Words such as 'is', 'did', and 'the' were irritating to her tongue as they were unnecessary additions in describing any situation or emotion, and they further hindered what she was attempting to convey by lengthening each of her spoken phrases. Her entire experience with 'heard words' and its varying pronunciations was stressful and near maddening. But it was a suffering she was willing to go through.

_I like it here. I'm glad we were chosen for this. We can do this._

For the man she would be spending the rest of her life with, she was willing to go through the trouble – with the hopes of one day being able to speak with him comfortably. _So I can tell him everything… and he understand me completely._

She sighed pleasantly. Setting her back against the rolled sleeping bag and scooting herself closer to Sato, she placed her head onto his shoulder. The position and closeness was intimate, and far too personal for two unwed individuals to be in. But it was one she claimed. One that she had gladly taken after Sato had successfully explained to her the difference between a wife and a girlfriend. _He not belong to anyone… Not completely. Not where it counts. We alone together from now on. So… this is fine._

"_I like it here._" she whispered, fearing yet hoping that he could hear her, "_Very warm._"

'C-o-l-d-?' Sato traced against her opened palm.

"_No… I'm fine. You warm. I… I like it._"

…

'S-h-a-r-e-B-a-g-T-o-n-i-g-h-t-?'

…

"_Please?_"

Sato nodded, touching his chin against her head to ensure she understood his response.

Melody's cheeks lit red as she weakly smiled. Like previous nights, they would share the same sleeping bag again.

The roads, tunnels, and waterways Sato and Melody had taken to reach Ash's Sanctuary had very little means for heavy transportation and weighted travel. As such, they packed relatively light, dropping several of their camping tools and comfort items in exchange for speed and safety. One of the items dropped was their second sleeping bag. A decision they soon regretted as the cold evening winds would hit them during their attempts of sleep. Trading the bag between the two of them had become a failed experiment, as the one without it would always wake in terrible conditions – nearing sickness. Sharing the same sleeping bag was their last resort - and had become their preferred option once finally chosen.

A second sleeping bag sat across from the both of them, propped up against a distant tree. It had remained in the same position for days, placed there after they had found it in a previous scavenging mission. And it would continue to remain there, as neither of them wanted to use it. Sleeping together had not only become a preferred option, but also a beneficial one. Sato's fevered nightmares and Melody's inability to sleep in unfamiliar places were remedied during the nights they slept together, so much so that sleeping apart had become a frightening and unwanted option.

Even with this known consensus, however, both Melody and Sato remained hesitant in admitting that they preferred to be wrapped in one another's arms as they slept. No reasons of age differences, personal space, or intimacy sparked this shyness. Instead, it was the near-coincidental implication hidden within every concept of the action.

_… Maya…_

Within a past life that had only belonged to him, Sato was in an undeclared relationship with a young woman named Maya. The direct and romantic closeness between the two had made them an infamous couple within their small group of allies, and the intense drive they shared to save their world and its inhabitants had made them an unbreakable duo in the eyes of their enemies. Within their lifetime, they were unforgettable intertwined souls. And in lifetimes after, they continued to be remembered. For the close friends of Ash, Maya had become a symbol of what it meant to be a truly loving and undeniably loved partner. And for Melody, Maya had become a warning and a sign.

Melody was walking the path of Maya – nearly retracing every interested step she made in her growing infatuation for the man named Sato. And she was doing so at an accelerated speed. Time and Fate had ended the bond between Sato and Maya before they could bloom as a couple – and Time and Fate were symbols Melody continuously battled against to avoid suffering the same unfinished ending. To verbally admit that she felt the same way for him before their task could be accomplished, she feared, would lock her to the destiny Maya had suffered.

For Sato, it was that very possibility that made him refuse to see Melody in the same light. He wanted no more lives to be sacrificed for his sake or for the world's – yet he was sacrificing Melody's by allowing her to follow him. It was only through remaining ignorant of any bond forming between the two of them, that he found peace with her accompaniment. The belief that she would one day grow tired of the duty placed on the both of them or perhaps be given a new task separate from him, gave him hope that her life would not be wasted at such a young age. _I've lived long enough. I've experienced and gained everything I've ever wanted. I know there's so much more to life than what I've seen – but I'm satisfied with what I have. My life can be end in this duty. But Melody's…_

"You say soul never disappear. Always exist. If true, then I lived long as well…" Melody answered Sato's thoughts with a struggled tone, "I not remember it. Do not remember days. Years. But I still existed. I don't care if more years spent with only you. I… want to."

…

Sato frowned, realizing that Melody had read his Aura. It was the third time that she had done so that day. With each passing day, she was growing in her ability to read Aura as if they were clear thoughts or strong emotions. No words or voices existed within the spiritual energy found in all living beings, but intentions and focus could be found. It was through these intentions that Melody could 'hear' Sato without her other senses. And though she had often misunderstood the 'words' in his intentions, she had improved greatly with every mistake made.

She made no mistakes with his present thoughts.

"_I… sorry. Am sorry._" she apologized with a whisper. The Aura floating inside Sato had expressed avoidance and weakness. Guilt and fear quickly overcame her as she realized that she was filling in the role that Maya had made for him and left vacant – Sato could never lie or hide anything from Maya, and now he could not hide from Melody. It was something to be proud of, yet she felt nothing but shame for the pain it caused him. "_I am sorry, Sato…_"

'W-e-N-e-e-d-S-l-e-e-p-D-i-f-f-i-c-u-l-t-T-o-m-o-r-r-o-w' he traced onto her forearm, giving the tensed subject no further attention.

She nodded solemnly and rolled away from the sleeping bag. With silent movements, she helped him unroll the sack and placed a folded sweater at its top to act as a head cushion.

The male Aura Guardian removed his jacket and slid into the cozy opening. After adjusting himself, he stared up at his fellow Guardian and questioned her with a tilted head.

Melody shook her head in response. "I'm not tired yet. You sleep now. I follow soon. I turn off fire when I do."

Sato gave a thankful smile and nodded. He rolled over and nuzzled his head onto the weather-beaten sweater before closing his eyes.

Minutes passed in natural quiet as Melody stared off into the forest's darkening distances. Tomorrow was undoubtedly going to be difficult, and she needed sleep far more than Sato. But the night offered Melody something that no other time of day could provide.

The ground shook slightly underneath her feet, causing her to flinch in anticipation. She calmed herself, knowing that it was not the sign she was looking for. Several more minutes passed in silence. Worry began to fill her thoughts as she wondered if silence would be all that greeted her tonight. Before her disappointment could drag her into action, three distinct taps were felt on the ground.

It was the sign she was looking for.

Melody turned and faced the bedroll that contained the sleeping Aura Guardian.

Another Aura Guardian had taken his place. One far less experienced and knowing of the intricacies found within the spirit energy, but one far more understanding of the spirits they belonged to. Ash Ketchum, the blind Empathic from Pallet Town, was finally awake – freed from Sato's vigilant lockout.

Melody greeted the young man's appearance with a cheerful, "I'm awake."

Without sight, Ash had no way of knowing the female Guardian's current condition. Though he was an Empathic, the Orange Isles native curiously had no sense of emotion – instead, only having a strong essence of Aura in its place. An Aura which the young man had no skill of deciphering or fully understanding. Where he could not communicate with her in sight, Aura, or sound, he communicated through vibration – through touch. Tapping hard on the ground was his only method of asking if she was awake or not.

"'I'm'? You're getting better at this." he greeted her with a friendly laugh. His hand reached out into the open air, gesturing for her help.

She gladly accepted, pulling him away from the sleeping bag. She helped him onto his feet and quickly led him to his favorite spot: the white stump.

The male Guardian stretched his back and kicked his feet forward, letting out a long-held yawn as he made himself comfortable in his seated position. His adjustment took minutes, as the sensation of receiving his body back was awkward and disorienting.

Melody only gazed at him in excited interest. Ash was her favorite. Though she considered and understood that Sato and Ash were the same person, she felt a more natural connection with the man closer to her age. Where Sato seemed to have a more mature and inspiring appeal, Ash owned a friendlier and more innocent attraction. The two shared the same body, mind, and heart - but their spirits were separated by time and experience. She knew she would one day desire Sato completely at an older, more experienced age. But in her present, Ash was the one she wanted to grow old with.

Ash, however, was taken.

Though ensured that a girlfriend and wife were two completely different titles and roles by Sato himself, Ash's view of relationships had prevented Melody from approaching any closer as a possible interest. Both Ash and Sato held the same belief of love, and treated each close individual as a separate relationship from one another. The younger spirit of the two, however, treated titles with importance. Anyone truly close had the ability to bond and even flirt with Ash Ketchum, but if someone was officially his girlfriend – no other could take the role or its purpose until he was officially dropped from being their boyfriend.

As such, Melody felt as if she could approach the older spirit and eventually gain an intimate relationship with him when the time was right, but had to wait an immeasurable amount of time for the correct circumstances to appear with the younger spirit. Sato had viewed relationships as fleeting and abstract in their solidarity and meaning – holding no single-minded loyalty in any of the bonds he made. Ash had viewed relationships as finicky and dependent in their environments and situations – reactive to the rules set and made from whoever he partnered with. Both had the same understanding, yet both were opposites in their interaction.

The female Guardian was close to both Ash and Sato because of their openness and ideals – yet was directly barred from growing any closer to Ash. She could laugh with him, smile with him, play with him, tease him, and had even attempted flirting with him. However, there was a distinct limit. She could not be what his girlfriend was for him, and he could not be hers in the ways she desired most – Not in the fashions she had wanted, because Maylene had already taken that role. For as long as the fighter remained his girlfriend, Melody could never claim that portion of his life and heart.

_Relationship change when they meet again. When they enemies on battlefield…_

"How have you feeling? How is Sabrina?" she asked cheerfully as she sat in front of him and poked at his kicking feet.

"You really are getting better at using heard words." he complimented slowly with exaggerated mouth movements. His fingers quickly traced the first letter of each word in the air, ensuring that his lips would not be read wrong. "I'm feeling okay. Just glad to finally be in control of my body again. As for Sabrina? She's sleeping on a patrol ship she snuck onto right now. It's not the same route we took, but it was the only one they could take safely."

Ash continued to speak and gesture his story of what he had heard and felt while linked with Sabrina's bond. The effort to converse in such a manner was horrendously difficult and slow, but he continued to do so as 'I want conversation like you talk comfortable' was a request given to him by Melody. He had gladly followed through with the request, growing in enthusiasm each time he realized that she was becoming more skilled with heard words. And as he continued to speak, she watched him with great intent – almost memorizing his facial expressions and lip and cheek movement with each vowel and emphasis he made.

Melody smiled as she threw another stick into the campfire. The glow of the flames and Ash's personality filled her heart with bliss. These were the warmths and comforts she meant in the poem she told to Sato. For four nights before and the night currently present, Ash and Melody would have their secret nightly conversations. In them, they would tell one other of their days and what they had experienced and felt in each passing moment when they were without the other. And during them, they would joke, discuss, and interact the night away with various topics and actions. At one night, they had spent their entire time speaking of the life they had before the world had changed. At another, they traded tricks and techniques they made within their Aura training. And at one other, they wrestled aggressively after a subject of their disabilities had gotten out of hand. These moments and more were made during their nights together. They were what Melody looked forward to at the end of the day, what encouraged her to indirectly claim Sato as her future husband, and what saddened her when she could not do the same for Ash.

Melody continued to stare into Ash's eyes, lips, and hands, but found herself losing her attention to older memories… She reminisced in fascination of the night when Ash had first revealed himself outside of Sato's control. It was an alarming event that panicked her into battling him, hoping to subdue him. The fight had ended in a draw, but had left her in awe of what Ash had been capable of with his limited knowledge of Aura. By all means, he should have easily lost in the struggle, but his will to survive and compete had made his Aura a fierce contender. And furthering her surprise, by the end of their tiring battle, he made no attempts to run. When she assumed that escape was what he had awoken for – she was proven wrong when he gladly stayed. She later discovered that he had never intended to flee – but only wanted to feel comfortable in his body before being locked away the next morning.

And so she let him. In that night, and the next, she allowed him to stretch his legs and use his body as he saw fit – watching him carefully in case it had all been an elaborate trap. But the following night and the nights after the first two, they began to talk to one another… and it quickly became tradition for them to converse every night. A tradition she had fallen in love with.

'What about your day?' his lips asked her, surprising her thoughts to return to reality.

"My day?" she asked to ensure she had read him right. Though, in truth, she had only done so to mask that she had not been paying any attention to what he had said in passed minutes or hour.

Ash nodded in answer.

"_My day…_" Melody murmured, attempting to recall her mind to the present sense of the world. "Sato and I attacked Cinnabar Island again. Same resistance. Different defenses. Retreated again. They too ready. Too prepared. We think they known we coming. Always know we coming. Don't know how."

'But you escaped? No injuries?'

"None. Safe as always. Thankful for safety. But maybe we safe because they not trying hard enough. As if they scared. Are scared. As if they are scared. Scared of hurting us. Don't know why."

'Are you getting any closer to their base at least?'

"Yes. Yes. Closer. Each time. We find weakness or opening. Then we get closer. We saw walls. Closest we have been. But pushed back again. Closest time we get hurt too. My Aura barrier not hold back every bullet. Sato knock away one almost hit me."

'I almost knocked one into you?!'

"N-No! _Ah… sorry… Ahm…_ Bullet almost hit me. Sato knock away. Not him almost hit me with bullet…"

Ash sighed in relief. 'Oh okay. That's good… Do you have a different plan for tomorrow?'

"We strike front. If they always know we coming, then not matter where we attack. We go front this time. Hit harder than we have before. Force way through."

'That's going to be dangerous. Will you be alright?'

"Of course." Melody chimed with a grin. "Fate chose us to win. We will win. We not meant to lose. How we win not known, but will win regardless."

'I just don't want you getting hurt…'

"_If you scared to lose me, then take me now…_"

Ash's face immediately lit red. He was speaking, quickly, but his lips, tongue, and fingers fumbled and twisted in panic. It was the reaction the female Guardian had hoped for.

Melody giggled excessively and tried her hardest to push down the overflowing laughter that threatened to burst out from her stomach. Ash's angry but embarrassed frown only made it impossible for her to hold it in. Her laughter poured out, causing her to fall to her side and roll around in glee. "You're so cute!" she squealed in the middle of her pathetic spasms of howls and wide grins. A sense of shame soon filled her, as she realized that she had no clue what she sounded like when she would laugh. She forced herself into a hush and sat up, noticing that her cheeks were becoming as red as Ash's.

In the silence that followed, the blind Empathic blankly stared in her direction, showing curiosity to her sudden quiet. She was readying herself to respond when a strange feeling tickled her palm.

'I-T-h-i-n-k-Y-o-u-r-L-a-u-g-h-I-s-C-u-t-e'

…

Melody's cheeks burned redder, but surprise had kept her from completely retreating. Ash had written his response. It was a simple change in conversational matters, but the fact that he did not voice it vibrated loudly in its meaning.

_He know that he not supposed to tell me those thing. So he not say…_

Her cheeks began to hurt as her smile stretched far too wide. Her chest pounded heavily as her heart raced faster than it had ever beat. Melody felt young and ignorant, innocent and unsure, feelings she had never experienced in her current lifetime of struggles. Yet she felt it in these nights. These nights with Ash. And tonight had been the first night he had ever told her what she wanted him to feel for her. His traced words had been the closest he had ever been to say what she yearned for him to say. She quickly grabbed onto his wrist and began to write.

'I-L-i-k-e-W-h-e-n-Y-o-u-B-l-u-s-h'

'I-L-i-k-e-I-t-W-h-e-n-Y-o-u-A-r-e-E-m-b-a-r-r-a-s-s-e-d'

'I-L-i-k-e-I-t-W-h-e-n-Y-o-u-S-a-y-I-A-m-C-u-t-e'

'I-L-i-k-e-T-h-a-t-T-o-o'

'I-R-e-a-l-l-y-L-i-k-e-Y-o-u-A-s-h'

'I-L-i-k-e-Y-o-u-T-o-o-M-e-l-o-d-y'

'S-a-y-I-t-T-o-M-e'

'S-a-y-W-h-a-t-?'

'S-a-y-T-o-M-e-Y-o-u-L-i-k-e-M-e-W-i-t-h-H-e-a-r-d-W-o-r-d-s'

…

…

'I like you, Melody'

* * *

Spears of white pierced through shattered walls of brown and ashen grey. Sheets of near-transparent monotones flew overhead, shifting the length and the brightness of the lances. A strange crawling pressure of warm and cold flowed lazily through the atmosphere, disorienting the sense of touch and distance. Powerful flavors vanished and appeared almost at will, yet disguised itself as invisible fogs of forgetful bitterness. Tremors and crumbling matter vibrated with every other movement, and dulled silence greeted those they did not fill in. And the violent thrashings of a lively element that opposed this world were ignored by those who only stepped forward.

These were the dead and hollow forests of Cinnabar Island's rim. And Melody found poetic beauty in them.

With a curious peek and an interested stare, she explored another small wonder that others would have considered insignificant. Creative descriptions and amazing analogies filled her mind as she did her best to put the sight into words. She had done so every few steps, taking advantage of the peaceful freedom they had been mysteriously given.

For the first time in their assaults of Cinnabar Island, no opposing forces met them. Their infiltration, their charge, and their approach were ignored and unopposed. It was an unnerving change of circumstances – one that had initially put Sato and Melody on high alert. But silent hours into their slow travel had relaxed their fears. Confidence took over when they realized the silence only gave them more time to react to any ambushes or traps set for them. Whatever lay ahead of them, they knew they would be ready.

_In the meantime, it doesn't hurt to take in the sights, right?_ Sato thought to himself as he watched the inquisitive young woman hop from one area of the fading forests to the other. He gazed into the sky above, watching the sun dim and brighten with each passing cloud. _This place seems perfect for a summer vacation. I wonder… if we drive out the Empire from this island, will it be inhabited again? Maybe a nice tourist spot will grow here. I wonder if I'd ever get a chance to look at it. Melody might even decide living up here while I live down there. That wouldn't be so bad, would it?_

Melody turned and tilted her head, noticing his lost stares. Sato smiled and shook his head.

'Nothing.' he mouthed towards her.

Melody nodded. "Will life live on island again?"

_Did she read my Aura? … No. The question was too vague._ 'Maybe. After kick Empire out, maybe others come.'

She smiled sadly. "I hope not. Best if life return on own. Let dead rest. Let silence alone. Life grow and come back on its own, in time. For now, let rest."

…

_Rest…_ Sato looked away, staring into nothing as he felt at his own fingertips. _Maybe that's what I'm looking forward to. Maybe that's where the world is leading me to…_

His solemn thoughts quickly faded as his instincts burst into a spike. Sato darted towards Melody and pinned her to the ground. She didn't resist, knowing full well what was occurring.

The two Guardians flattened themselves to the jagged floor, silencing all other senses to focus their Aura. A living figure was found ahead, walking towards them. The first sign of life since they arrived on the island.

Time passed in complete stillness as the two continued their controlled breathing and sharpened watch. Only the sound of muffled footsteps filled the air, becoming clearer with every minute that passed. As its volume became distinctly louder, a vacuum-like chime accompanied the closest step.

Sato's eyes widened, immediately recognizing the sound. He quickly tapped Melody's head four times and kicked her into a roll. A flash of blinding red followed after an alarming **pop**. Sato spun himself into a roll and barely dodged a large being that came into existence.

The ground shook. A skin-crawling roar shred through the air. Its source, a massive creature of varying blues, accented reds, and fleshed yellows, stood threateningly on the ground the two Guardians had occupied just seconds before. Its fierce golden eyes locked with Sato's, marking him as its target.

"Feraligatr! Aqua Tail!"

A flood of water gushed from its mouth and formed a whirlpool on its tail's tip. The Big Jaw Pokémon grunted and spun on its heel, swinging the large tail towards its intended target.

Sato dodged the first strike with a backpedal run and blocked the second and third with Aura shields.

"Break those shields! Crunch!"

The beast roared as it widened its immense jaw. Sato launched an Aura Sphere, only to have it swatted away by a swift swing of the powered Aqua Tail. Spinning to face its target again, the feraligatr leapt forward and bit down. Its teeth came into contact with a quickly-made wall of blue energy. With a flex of its muscles, it forced its mouth shut and shattered the shield. Two more attempted shields were broken in the same manner, each one bringing the feraligatr closer to its prey's vulnerable body.

A fourth shield vanished into specks of white, as the large pokémon stepped into the open air that it had failed to manifest into. With no more room for evasion or counter, the feraligatr growled in victory and widened its jaw.

Its body suddenly froze. Warping blue energies crawled across its skin, halting any further movement. Melody accepted Sato's gratitude with a nod before readying her next attack.

Another pop and flash was heard and seen. A weavile appeared in front of its owner, hissing menacingly at the foes facing it.

Melody fired a duo of time-freezing blasts towards the Sharp Claw Pokémon. The blasts hit, stunning the creature into place. To her surprise, the frozen pokémon began to fade within the time-controlling hold, vanishing into nothing as the light reflecting on its false body tore through the illusion.

"Icy Wind! Now!" the figure called out as it pulled out another poké ball and released it.

The weavile reappeared by female Guardian's side and blew a stream of subzero winds from its mouth. Melody slowed the wind seconds before it could come into contact, feeling her nose turn cold from the tiny burst she missed.

"Shadow Metal! Thunder Wave and Dark Pulse!"

Claws of darkened violet and shining silver slashed towards Melody. The silver strike was sped forward by a whirl of white Aura, launching the weavile passed its target. The dark claw dug into the ground to slow its quickened movement.

Another blast of time-halting energy struck the pokémon, only to reveal another Substitute.

Sato threw himself upwards, dodging a spear of Dark Pulse aimed for his feet. A Thunder Wave nearly caught him in the air, redirected by a flow of Aura. He landed quietly, facing the magnezone and gengar that were blocking the path to his true opponent.

"Magnet Bomb! Faint Attack! Confuse Ray!" more commands were shouted out as two more pops and red flashes brought more pokémon into the battlefield, "Follow up with Thunder Wave, Shadow Metal, and Shadow Ball! Alakazam, Psychic! Crobat, Toxic!"

A quintet of shining energy balls released from the magnezone and darted towards Sato. The male Guardian attempted to dodge, only to find each ball halting in its movements and redirecting itself with his every avoidance. He fired a large Aura Sphere, destroying three of the homing attacks. Another shattered against his energy shield. The last pierced through and struck his stomach. Sato gasped out a voiceless shout, injured by the ball of pure metal as it vanished on contact. His vision and orientation began to shift erratically, affected by the gengar's Confuse Ray.

Melody broke into a run, firing waves of Aura as she tried to reinforce Sato. The weavile chasing after her was struck several times, only to vanish and reappear with every wave. A spew of polluted gunk nearly struck her chest, she froze its movement and reversed it, forcing the crobat to swallow its own Toxic. Her skin tingled as a wall of psychic energy rushed towards her. She leapt forward and rolled, forming a protective barrier around herself to absorb the impacting Psychic.

Sato cried out as a Shadow Ball struck his shoulder. His cries ceased as the Thunder Wave landed and paralyzed him into stiffened silence.

"Sato! _NO!_" the female Guardian screamed. Her auburn hair paled into pure white. With an intensified concentration of her will, Melody fired a devastating spear of Aura towards the guarded figure.

The weavile attempted to cancel it with its Substitute. Its false self vanished at its edge, yet the spear continued. In panic, Weavile jumped into the spear – freezing completely in time at its touch. Yet the spear continued. The crobat followed, darting towards its center and whipping several blades of white energy into it with Air Cutter. The attack remained unaffected and pierced through the crobat, halting the pokémon's movement and gravity. Gengar and Alakazam stood in its path and created a combined energy shield. The shield shattered and both pokémon were frozen. Slowly hovering into place, the magnezone released a storm of electrical currents into the Aura lance. It continued on its course. The Magnet Area Pokémon was recalled into its poké ball before it could be struck as well.

"You idiots!" the figure growled and dodged the attack. The spear turned and followed. "_Tch. Bothersome._ Magnezone, Thunder Wave that woman!" With a quick swing, the poké ball was thrown in Melody's direction. The figure continued to run, attempting to outlive the homing energy.

Magnezone reappeared in a flash of red light, staring down at the female Guardian.

Melody defiantly glared at the enemy pokémon. She was breathing heavily, her body shaking from weakness, no longer owning the energy to run or attack. Yet she would not allow her spirit to lose. "_Guardians meant to stop you. Eventually you lose. You win against me. But you lose to time._"

The metallic creature continued to stare, showing no sign of acknowledging her words. Following its command, it released a shower of electricity into the female Guardian. Her eyes widened and her mouth spoke, yet no noise came. She fell to her side, continuing to have stiffened spasms from the sparking current flowing through her body.

The Aura spear vanished. Each pokémon affected by the female Guardian's energy was released from its holds, landing or stumbling onto the ground as time accepted them back into its control.

…

"…Is this it? Is this really it? These were the world's Guardians? The best it had to offer?" the figure frowned and walked towards the two paralyzed opponents. It halted above Melody, sneering at her shaking body. "Pathetic."

It circled around her, curiously analyzing her appearance. "You're the one causing problems for us in Sinnoh, aren't you? Guess the rumors were true about a young girl posing as 'Sinnoh's Last Aura Guardian'. But you're not the Last Guardian. You're just the orphan the real one took care of." Kneeling down, it brushed her hair aside and stared menacingly into her eyes. "Did you know it was my father that killed him? Your big hero adopted father might have survived making that barrier if it weren't for the bullet in his chest."

Melody didn't react, her eyes remaining wide and catatonic.

The figure laughed to itself before kicking her onto her back. A handgun was pulled from its pocket and aimed for her chest. "_Like father, like son._"

"STOP!"

A speeding sphere of blue impacted the gunner's hand and knocked the pistol into the distance. The disarmed gunner turned, sneering at the intrusion.

A young man resembling the other Guardian stood facing him – though a shorter stature and a noticeable scar around his eyes made him an obvious separate entity.

"Another Guardian? How many of you are ther–" the figure silenced himself. His eyes widened as he recognized the young man's face. "_You…_" he hissed.

"Step away from her. Now." Ash commanded, positioning himself into a fighter's stance.

"Boys?" the figure growled. The six fierce pokémon postured themselves threateningly as they heard the venom in their master's tone. "Kill him."

* * *

**Click.**

"Passcode seven, seven, zero, H. Ladies and gentlemen, my name is Laurel. I'm a native of the beautiful land of Johto, and a current resident of the awesome region of Kanto. I am currently sixteen years of age and four of those years were spent in my new home region. Also in those four years, I had been a member of the Kanto Resistance. We resist the evil forces of the Empire and continue to uphold what this region stands for and believes in! We bow to no one!

"There's not many of us left, Kanto Resistance members, that is. When I first joined there were barely twenty of us. And now? We can count us with my hands alone. We're not much of a Resistance group anymore. We're closer to Resistance Leaders or Commandos, but we like to think we're still 'members'. Maybe in the hopes of rebuilding ourselves to our former glory, or maybe just to honor those who have fallen before us.

"Whatever the case may be, our few numbers means that we're mostly independent individuals. We take command of ourselves, choose our own missions, often travel on our own, and can even refuse to attend meetings. Though, it's best if we do attend. After all, in these meetings, we pool all the information and data we gathered and mix and match them together. And honestly, for the sake of bragging, doing so makes us who we are, because we're the best information gatherers there are. Admittedly, we may not be as huge as the Sinnoh Resistances - We may not be as legendary as the Hoenn Seven – And we're nowhere near as suicida– _er…_ brave as the folks of Operation Beta. But we're smart. Smarter than people think. The information we have is deeper and more important than the stuff others find and hold onto. Not only that, but our information makes us efficient survivors. We're getting fewer by the weeks, but we've outlasted some of the best groups out there. The Johto Resistances? The Archipelago Kings? The Almia Unified Front? All amazing and honorable groups, but died out too fast because they were too brave or not prepared enough. The Kanto Resistance? We're prepared. Always are. Instead of sitting around and doing small scouting missions to build up Archives and Vaults, we go out there and dive into the big stuff – see the real things happening right in front of us – uncovering the deepest secrets the world has to offer with skepticism, instead of relying on just rumors and speculation.

"Which brings me to why I'm recording this little message, revealing all these things about me and etc. See, thing is, I'm currently going against what the Kanto Resistance stands for… which, I know, for some of you, isn't that big of a surprise. But this time, I've gone overboard, even for me. As we speak, I am currently in a mission that is just based off of iffy rumors and speculation. There is some truth to them and some pretty convincing evidences, but not enough to warrant acting out on my own. But this was something I couldn't wait on… I couldn't wait two more weeks until our next meeting to see if this was worth investigating or not – I had to do this now, and I would do it on my own. And because this is just off of a rumor? Because I'm absolutely alone on this? Because of what this mission concerns? I may not be coming back… The Kanto Resistance will be one less member, one less fist, and one less mind by the end of all of this. I'm sorry to put so much stress in this group when they've already gone through enough bothers, but… it's now or never. This is my only chance. And if I succeed, I'm going to be a legend. If I fail, you'll know through these recordings and hopefully learn a lesson from my mistakes. And if I just happen to escape alive? Well, I'll be the luckiest person alive – And I'll have quite a tale to tell on our next meeting.

"For now, though… I'm counting myself deceased. Because the target I'm going after now… The target I've followed for days on bits of information and overheard discussions… is none other than the Emperor himself. Farewell, y'all. It's been awesome. Passcode seven, seven, zero, H."

**Click.**

The young woman of green hair and striking red eyes sighed and pocketed her voice recorder. With a twist of a hidden switch and a press of an unseen button, the device code-locked itself. Her final personal deed was done and only her mission was left to be accomplished…

Laurel hopped off the self-made boat and began her stretches. Her back, arms, legs, wrists, feet, and shoulders were twisted, turned, extended, and warmed up. The oddly warm air of the environment had made it difficult to extend and retract her lungs correctly within her exercises, but she took it as a positive note – thanking the uncomfortable settings that prevented her senses from becoming too lax. As her physical readiness was completed, she patted all sides of her waist, ensuring all her weapons were in place. Satisfied, she closed her eyes and breathed out - allowing her mind to accept the mission objective: Assassinate the Emperor.

She threw herself into a run, leaning forward slightly and pushing her legs harder than she ever had in her life. Scenery and objects quickly passed by, providing her the visual measurements of her speed and acceleration. The faster she was, the better. As far as she was aware, her target would leave the area in minutes. No time limit or situational parameters were given, set, or hinted – This was a blind mission. And as such, she knew it only made her suicidal to charge in at full speed. But the momentum and chaos of battle were the only traits that made a new environment tolerable for her. Sneaking in, taking her time, and finding alternate routes were effective strategies for victory – ones she had used successfully in the past – but this mission was unlike all others – This could be her last mission… 'Charge in Strong. Charge in Hard.' was her old motto, and she wanted it to be the one she followed on her possible final battle. She wanted it to be the only reason why she failed.

For once, Laurel had no clue what lay ahead of her. It was that uncertainty that drove her irrationality. Her location, the number of her enemies, the possibility of hostages or prisoners, and even the terrain of the battlefield – all were unknown to her. She had followed eavesdropped clues and vague schedule patterns to arrive to where she was, to chase the most powerful man in the world, to make a statement, to make a difference, to make a name for herself.

She growled viciously and wiped away spittle from her lips, flooding herself with adrenaline through pure will alone, risking her body's health and safety for the sake of speed. Speed was never her specialty, but it was her only weapon against time now. And what disturbed her most, was that time was her only enemy.

Breaking out of the dead forests behind her and crossing over several minimal and medium plateaus, she realized that there was no living creature in sight. According to the information she had followed, the Emperor had traveled to this unnamed wilderness to support an Empire base that was under attack. Why the Emperor would be necessary, why she had never known of a base in this area, why she saw no soldier or guard patrolling or watching the perimeters, why she saw no struggle or signs of combat, and why her group had never gotten word of any forces opposing the Empire entering the Kanto region – she did not know, and it worried her immensely.

_Arceus help me if this is a trap…_

Climbing up a small wall of rock and looking over the hill, she finally spotted movement in the distance. She quickly slid down the slope and rolled into a sprint. Friend or foe, friendly or threatening activity, she did not know what lay ahead of her – but she had to face it before it was too late.

Seconds into her speeding run, she could finally decipher what was occurring… and it caused her to slow down in awe…

Red hair. Fierce red eyes. An almost eternal frown. An intimidating and commanding posture.

_The Leader of the Rocket Empire._

He stood menacingly over a low plateau, shouting several commands at once. Six beasts of devastating powers followed his every call, pacing and rushing themselves in perfect coordination. All were faced against a single foe… an unarmed young man.

The young man was skilled, but not perfect. His movements were trained, experienced, but not honed into a chosen design or flow. Despite this, he dodged, blocked, and countered almost every blow that came his way. It was as if all the luck of the world was on his side, forcing him to succeed even if his body wasn't meant to…

And he clearly was never meant to. The beasts he faced were the Emperor's Pokémon. They were monsters and legends on the battlefield, having been rumored to eliminate entire Resistance groups and bases under the command of their inhuman master. They had been known to bring the mythical pokémon of Aura Guardians and Master Tamers alike to their knees.

_And yet… they could not defeat a single boy._

A swirl of metallic energy flew towards the young man. An undodgeable technique. The Magnet Bomb – meant to hit its target no matter what. _It would be the end of the boy…_

Or so she thought.

Blue flames erupted from the boy's hands, firing out and being sculpted into a floating scarf. The metallic balls impacted into their semi-cylindrical openings, rolling along their path and being fired out the other end. The Magnet Bomb had been redirected and launched into a running Dark Pokémon. Its form disappeared from the hit, revealing an illusion, only to reappear and be struck again by another metal sphere. Two more illusionary bodies vanished from the strike. The fourth was real, pounded sideways by the remaining metallic attacks.

Slowed down and halted in its momentum, the Dark Pokémon was revealed to be a hybrid Dark and Ice Type, a weavile, the Sharp Claw Pokémon. Names and associations no longer mattered, as it was now considered vulnerable and practically defeated. The metallic impact had thrown it into the air, spinning it dizzily due to its foolishly-held speed. It was struck to the ground with a two-handed overhead blow. A cry shot out from its throat as it slammed onto the rocky floor. Its eyes blanked completely in seconds.

The Six Beasts of the Emperor had been reduced to five.

Laurel cried out in cheer, unable to hold in the excitement from the victory.

Her cry caught the attention of the young man – who was immediately struck in the back by a Shadow Ball. The minor distraction had cost him his complete awareness of the fight. A weakness that the Emperor took advantage of.

"Magnet Bomb! Psychic! Toxic to his right! Prevent him from rolling with Dark Pulse and Aqua Tail!"

"_Oh no…_" Laurel gasped. Her hands gripped onto the weapons tucked to her sides. "HYAAAAAAAAAA! FOR KANTO!" she cried out and charged in, unrolling the whips from their holds.

"Magnezone! Retarget and launch the Magnet Bomb towards the girl!"

The metallic spheres meant for the young man's head froze in midair and re-fired.

It was a small opening, but an opening large enough for the young man. In an instant, the downed victim rolled and leapt through a space between the wall of Psychic and geyser of Toxic, barely avoiding the Dark Pulse meant for his legs and the Aqua Tail meant for his ribs. He landed on his toes and quickly sent a net of azure energy towards the Magnet Bomb. The net thinned, wrapping around the spheres tightly. Using the momentum of their attack, the young man dug his heel into the ground and spun the energies into the feraligatr.

The Big Jaw Pokémon only flinched under the attack, hardly damaged from its steel substance. However, the redirection was not meant to injure, but to remove the projectile wall.

Laurel dove into the fray, unhindered by any attacks. She spun out her two whips and struck at the surrounding pokémon. Though the attacks noticeably hurt the crobat and alakazam, the others remained unfazed. The threatening creatures took a step forward, showing no fear to their new prey.

"_Oh right…_ Forgot about this." The Resistance member pulled onto two triggers hidden in the handles. Sparks of electricity erupted on the lashes of both whips – causing the pokémon to take a step back. Laurel smirked. "Scared of a little lightning?"

"_Turn those off! Now!_" the young man behind her hissed.

"Huh? Why?"

The Emperor's eyes sparked as he saw the electrified weapons. "Feraligatr! Do it!"

A burst of water shot from the large pokémon's mouth, spiraling towards Laurel.

Before it could reach her, the young man grabbed her by the waist and rolled out of harm's way. One of her whips dropped in the pull, revealing the threat hidden behind its advantage: The blast of water exploded above the whip, capturing the voltage and spreading it in a wide arc.

Laurel stared in impressed fear, in awe of the intelligent move, but dreading that she didn't catch its purpose sooner. "_I woulda' been fried…_" she whispered to herself.

"Turn the other one off now!" the young man exclaimed again, poorly fumbling over the whip's handle.

She elbowed him off and retriggered the weapon, removing the lightning element she had always been fond of. "_It's off! It's off!_" she half-shouted, rolling back onto her feet and getting in stance.

The young man pushed himself from the ground and repositioned into his own stance. "_Only turn it back on when I say so._"

"_…'Kay._" she grunted. A strange sensation came from the boy's command, compelling her to agree. Though Laurel was known to be stubborn and uncontrollable within her small team, she felt curiously comfortable with listening to what the stranger had to say. "_But what am I supposed to do for now?_" she whispered, "_I don't think my weapons will be much use against most of them._"

"_What weapons do you have?_"

"_A few throwing knives and a marker bomb._"

"_Marker bomb?_"

"_Marks them. A scented stainer that makes them easier to hit._"

"_Scented? …I'm not that good with smelling yet, but it should help me a lot…_"

"_You don't have to rely on the scent, the stains also make it near impossible for your eyes to miss them._"

"_Sorry for you to find out this way, but… I'm blind._"

"You're what?!"

"Dodge to your left and roll back! Do it!"

The Emperor called out his next commands, "Air Cutter! Psychic! Magnet Bomb! Dark Pulse!"

A blast of white, black, and violet energy roared forward, trailed by humming metal spheres.

Laurel had dodged them in time and rolled back, just as commanded. The roll had made her just out of reach of the Dark Pulse, which collided with the Psychic wall.

"Help me out here! Throw the marker bomb at feraligatr! And keep back the crobat!" the young man shouted as he dodged the Magnet Bomb and ran towards the five pokémon. The Magnet Bomb quickly followed.

Laurel ran forward with him, unhooking and fast-pitching a pink ball into the Big Jaw Pokémon. On impact, the ball puffed into a smog of pinks and oranges, coating the struck belly with bright colors and leaving an unmistakable sweet scent. The pokémon only sneered in reaction, finding the weak attack as an annoyance. Its reaction was none of her concern as she continued with her orders. Swinging her held whip back and lashing it forward, Laurel struck the speedy crobat with a powerful snap. This pokémon reacted, flying back from its injury.

"Feraligatr! Ice Fang!" the Emperor roared, realizing which of his pokémon was being targeted. He reached into his belt loop, swiftly searching for the right poké ball. "Magnezone! Return!"

The command was made too late. The young man easily dodged the frozen bite and planted his fist into the Magnet Area Pokémon. Blue fire exploded around his fist and knocked out the Electric Steel Type instantly. It was returned to its poké ball immediately after; fainted.

"_Hrra!_" the Emperor spat in frustration, throwing the poké ball to the side and treating it as a failure. "Alakazam! Psychic! Feraligatr! Aqua Tail! Air Cutter! Shadow Ball!"

"Throwing knives at Alakazam! Use your electric whip now on Feraligatr and Crobat!" the stranger countered with his own commands.

"NO!"

Laurel acted immediately, launching the knives at the Psi Pokémon and triggering her whip back into life. She curled it and dashed forward, uncurling it on the feraligatr's back and cracking it sideways against the Bat Pokémon.

Alakazam winced as the projectile blades dug into his forearm and shoulders, weakening his concentration and missing his target. Crobat fainted mid-attack, the sound of a lesser thunder marking its defeating strike. Feraligatr roared under its blow, cancelling its Aqua Tail and retreating several steps back. Finding its allies severely weakened, Gengar threw a multitude of Shadow Balls towards both opponents.

The young man dodged barely, being grazed against the shoulder and faltering in his roll.

Laurel flexed and crossed her arms, taking the blows with a pained gasp. Her body shivered terribly as the Ghost Type attacks faded through her and shocked her sensitivity.

"FINISH THEM NOW! PSYCHIC! DARK PULSE! AQUA TAIL!"

The weakened young man smiled, having waited for those exact commands within range of his opponents. He quickly rolled onto his back and thrust his palms outwards, aiming them in Gengar's direction. An unseen burst of emotion-fed energy was thrown into the Shadow Pokémon, confusing it into giving all of its attention towards Alakazam. "Now! Throw the whip! Throw it at the feraligatr!"

"TOO LATE!" the Emperor roared in furious joy as his commands were acted out.

Feraligatr stampeded towards the downed male, swirling a torrent of water around its tail and swinging it forward. Alakazam fired a wall of deadly mental energy towards the young woman. And Gengar was…

"_No…_ NO! GENGAR WHAT ARE YOU –"

Gengar launched its Dark Pulse towards Alakazam. The blackened wave swallowed up the Psychic attack and erupted into the Psi Pokémon.

With the psychic wall disabled, the electrified whip flew through the air unchallenged, landing directly on the feraligatr and overtaking its Aqua Tail with lightning. The large blue pokémon screeched in pain and quickly fell into convulsions.

Alakazam fell soon afterwards, its eyes shaded in complete darkness.

Only Gengar remained, absolutely bewildered with itself.

"No! NO! **WEAKLINGS! ALL OF YOU!**" the Emperor exploded, his face boiling in red fury, "**WEAKLINGS!**" Each fainted pokémon were immediately returned to their poké balls. The red-eyed young man snapped up the thrown poké ball that contained his magnezone and stiffly latched it back onto his belt. His last pokémon, the unharmed Gengar, was fiercely stared down before being returned into its container.

He turned, eyeing his two opponents one last time before turning and dialing into a hand-sized device. "I've weakened them for you. Take them out yourselves." The device was flip shut and forced into his pocket. With no further care, he began walking away.

"Oh no you don't!" Laurel cried out and forced herself into a run. She held her fist back and dove towards him. "THIS IS FROM THE PEOPLE OF KANTO!"

The Emperor faced the attack just in time, dodging it by centimeters. He struck his elbow into the Resistance member's nose before turning back and retreating quickly.

Her face stiffened and pulsed in shock, stunned by the sucker strike. As she regained her senses, she found the Emperor fleeing quickly into the distance. She was ready to chase. "GET BACK HERE! YOU – Oh. Uh oh."

Plans of chasing turned into running, as regiments of Empire soldiers charged out of the hill the Emperor had escaped into.

"Not good! Not good!" Laurel pulled the young man onto his feet and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. She knelt down and slid her whips into their harnesses, then returned to a stand - pushing the both of them into a sprint.

"WAIT! WAIT!" The young man dug his feet into the ground, scraping them to a halt. He bobbed his head to the left. "My friend! We need to get her out of here too!"

"Friend?" Laurel leaned sideways and found an unconscious young woman on the floor. "Look, there's no way I can carry you both! You're gonna' have to help me!"

"On it!" He pushed himself off of her hold and stumbled towards the immobile female. With a grunt, he pulled her from the ground and quickly marched towards Laurel.

She grabbed one end of her body, taking the majority of the deadweight. "You good with running?" she asked him as she kicked her knees up in nervous excitement.

"That's all I've done for weeks." he half-joked.

The two nodded towards each other and began their panicked dash towards the shore.

* * *

Warmth. Comfort. Night.

Without opening her eyes, Melody had already recognized where she was. How she had gotten there, she wasn't entirely sure. Her memories swam with disordered events, each battling one another to explain her current location. Yet no matter which memory won, none could fully answer her lengthening questions.

_I… lose fight. How I here?_

Her eyes slowly opened, letting the light of the campfire flood into her visions. It was warm. Comforting. And the unique smell in the air only signified the time of day. Late evening. She was in Ash's Sanctuary.

_But… I lose fight. How I here?_ She pushed herself off the cushioned ground, scanning her immediate surroundings. Nothing seemed out of place. _Dream? Only… dream? But so real._

Melody rolled into a sitting position and adjusted her hair. She continued to scan, looking for any sign or clue to answer her swimming thoughts. In seconds, she found one. Her eyes had locked with a person she did not recognize. A young woman of striking red eyes and long green hair was sitting in a fetal position paces away to her left, staring back in curiosity.

'Yo.' the stranger greeted.

Melody focused her Aura, readying in nervousness for a swift attack. "H… Hello. Name?"

'Lorrela.', 'Law El', 'Lauren', or perhaps 'Laurel' was mouthed in response.

None were names she recognized. "We know you?"

The young woman shook her head and nudged it towards her right.

Melody hesitated before glancing. Her eyes found Sato sleeping in a strange position against one of the trees. From the sense of his energy, it was made obvious that he was suffering from a severe case of Aura Exhaustion. An ailment which only proved validated her confused memories. She returned her attention to the stranger and spoke, "We… We fight. Fight man. He beat us. You… You save us?"

The young woman shook her head again. 'We saved you. Not just me. But not with him. The other one. Ash.'

Her eyes widened. "Ash? Ash fight?"

'Fought hard. Took on the Six Beasts of the Emperor on his own. I jumped in a little later and helped him out. Intense little tussle we had.'

Melody's eyes grew wider. "Emperor?" she gasped. "We fight Emperor?!"

The stranger raised her brow and laughed, 'You – You didn't know? You were facing the Emperor. The head of the Rocket Empire!'

Melody ran her fingers through her hair, placing her palm against her forehead. Disbelief and shock ran through her mind, heart, body, and spirit – confusing her senses and making her feel dizzy. The identity of their foe had been revealed, describing the absolute difficulty both she and Sato had when they faced the single foe. "_We… We face Emperor… Emperor Silver…_"

'And he did a number on both of you. Good thing, too, because apparently that woke Ash up.'

"Woke… Ash?" She blinked before flinching. "Y-You know about Ash?"

The red-eyed female gave her a strange look. 'Um… Yeah. I said that earlier.'

"N-No! What I mean… _What I mean is?_ What I mean is Sato not know about Ash. Sato not to know about Ash!" she whispered loudly. Panic ran through her system as she feared that the unknown woman had spoken to Sato before he had fallen asleep, setting back and locking out any progress she had made with the younger form.

'Calm down. Calm down.' the woman cheerily mouthed, 'He already talked to me about it. Ash, that is. Don't worry, I didn't tell Sato anything… Not that he was awake for me to say anything.'

Melody sighed in shaking relief. Calming her nerves, she slowly loosed her control of Aura and relaxed her arm. Though she was still unsure of the person's identity, she gave her the benefit of the doubt for earning Ash's trust. Only time would tell if she would be an irritation or threat - but for the moment, she did not consider her one. "My name is Melody." she spoke as she met the stranger's ruby eyes, "Aura Guardian from Sinnoh."

The woman raised her brows in impressed surprise. 'The Last Aura Guardian of Sinnoh… Well now, no wonder the Emperor traveled to that small island… A pleasure to meet you. As you know, my name is Laurel/Lauren/Law El. I'm a member of the Kanto Resistance.'

"Nice to meet you… _ah… Lauren?_"

'Lawr-el. Laurelll. Laurel.'

"Ah, _Laurel_. I sorry. Not good with words. I cannot hear."

'Ash told me. You two make quite a crazy duo. I mean, he's blind, isn't he? Ash?'

Melody proudly nodded.

'And you're deaf. Yet you both are effective enough to get the attention of the Emperor. Talk about handicapable.'

"Losing sight or hearing not make person weak. Accepting weakness make person weak."

'For a person not good with words, you have a way with them.'

Melody blushed in embarrassed gladness. She wiped away the pink of her cheeks and returned to the topic of her interest, "Thank you for helping Ash. Save our lives. But I ask, why you on island? Kanto Resistance also know about main Empire base there? How many of you?"

Laurel scratched at her head. '… No. We didn't know that. I followed some trails that led me there. The Resistance has no idea there is even a base there. Nevermind that it's actually their main one. As for how many of us? Eight.'

"Eight groups? Teams? Bases?"

'Nno… Eight members.'

"I see… Kanto always had hardest treatment by Empire…"

'But we survived. We may be eight. But we're still fighting.'

"What of Saffron Psychics? They not help?"

'Tch. What do you think? Those Psychics didn't even help us when we had our own Psychic in the team. Rest in peace, Nocturn.'

"I sorry… _ah, am sorry._ I am sorry that happen. You return to Resistance later? Soon? Sato and I must complete our mission. You can leave us. We fine now. Better on our own."

'Didn't look like it. Doesn't sound like it either. Heard you guys lose daily.'

"Ah, not what meant. What mean is… Sato and I Aura Guardians. We meant to fight threat and eventually succeed. We lose now and lose many time. But we meant to succeed. To win. Will of world."

'And if it's the will of the world you both lose?'

"Not possible. Sato chosen many time to win. When he just Sato. Then when he Ash. Now that he both. He never allowed to lose. Only try again. Will of world, Sato and Ash succeed."

'And what about you? Have you been chosen again?'

…

"_I…_" Melody's heart sank. The cold reminder that she would lose her life like Maya had in order to protect Sato - returned, haunting her confidence yet again. Melody cared little for her own life, wanting to give it to the one she desired most… But her fear to leave Sato alone, to make him lose another one he loved, to break him in his most fragile state, weakened her will immensely. Within the realities of every world, Maya had always existed to protect Sato, but at the same time, she was never allowed to thrive with him in life. By the will of the world, she would always be dragged away from him before they could ever start a life with one another. And when left with only others, Sato suffered in his attempts to make everyone happy. Only Maya could give him permanent happiness, a selfishly protective and caring love, but she would never be given the chance. Because it was never the will of the world. In that knowledge, in that fear, Melody desperately hoped that she would be good enough in the world's eyes to be chosen as Sato's bride. "_I want to be…_"

…

'Sorry… that was pretty morbid of me…' Laurel looked away, showing awkward regret in her eyes' expressions. 'Anyways, I've decided to stick with you two. If you guys are going to face the Empire on your own, I'll be here to represent the people of Kanto. To show that Kanto never completely bowed to that arrogant Emperor.'

"But you might lose life. It dangerous."

'If there was any reason to lose a life, this would be the best one. I'm willing to die for a cause. Especially if it helps the two of you take down that punk.'

"What about other Resistance? You not ask their help?"

'They'd never agree to something as suicidal as this.'

"Why do you?"

The red-eyed woman shrugged. 'Dunno. Feels right. It is right. Don't see why I shouldn't.'

…

Melody sighed, realizing that there was no way of saying it nicely. She decided to go with honesty, "I sorry, Laurel. You cannot come with us."

'Why? What's stopping me?'

"Me, if I have to. You spoke to Ash. You know Ash awake. Sato cannot know about Ash awake. Not yet. He not ready to listen."

'I won't say anything! Promise!'

"You cannot promise. Because Sato make you tell truth. He good with that. I immune because I know him. I ready myself for him. Maybe I not meant to captured by him. I protect Ash from himself. You? No promise. Fate not say you promise, so I know you cannot promise. I cannot risk Ash because of you."

'What's the big deal about all this anyways? So what if Sato finds out? What's the worse he can do?'

"Lock away Ash permanently. Deny part of himself completely. Never allow to think or exist. Not sure if can really work, but I not test it. I love Ash. I not risk his life."

'Whoah, whoah, what? Ash said you were in a relationship with Sato!'

Melody blinked. "He say that? _Ah… Yes, but…_ I relationship with Ash too."

'You're cheating with him?'

"Cheating? No! Ash Sato same! Not cheating!"

'Well, you're obviously cheating on someone, because Ash said he's in a relationship with a girl named Maylene.'

Melody sneered at the mention of the fighter's name. "She not good for him. Not good for him at… _Wait._ Why this any concern to you? Not matter. You want fight Emperor? Do it. Yourself. Keep away from us. You endanger Ash with what you know."

'No way, lady. I ain't leaving.'

"Why? No reason to stay!"

'B-Because I just want to stay. Okay?'

The Orange Isles native cocked her brow, noticing a strange, yet extremely telling pattern in the woman's words. "_…What your relationship with Ash?_" Her eyes sharpened.

'Re-?! Relationship?! What?! No! Nothing! I just met the guy! Why would I have a -?! You're crazy! Absolutely crazy! And you know what? To prove you're crazy I'll just… go and… This is crazy. Look, I won't cause any problems, promise!'

"No. You go. You have no reason to stay. So go."

'I have plenty of reasons!'

"Say them. Say reasons. Tell me good reasons. Smart reasons. Reason why you charge in with us again and again, knowing you most likely die if stand with us. Reason why going around other route or bringing other Resistance not smarter idea. Say them."

'I don't need to explain anything to you.'

Melody threw her arm forward and lobbed a wave of Aura into the red-eyed female.

Laurel rolled out of its path and swung her whip out of its holster. The whip's fall quickly wrapped around the female Guardian's wrist and tightened as the lash tucked into a loop. With a hard pull, she redirected the arm connected to her whip and subdued its stance by kicking onto the weapon's thong.

A humming vibration traveled through the extended wire, telling Melody that her opponent was speaking. She could not see what was being said, having been pinned face-flat by her twisted arm. She growled defiantly and planted her free hand onto the ground. Firing a burst of accelerated time through her fingertips, Melody launched herself sideways and into her foe.

The Resistance member fell back to absorb the blow, catching the auburn-haired female and slamming her onto the forest floor. Her knee was pressed onto the attacker's back, preventing her from rolling. She grabbed the free hand that was beginning to glow and twisted it at the pinky. The blue glow immediately disappeared as the Guardian breathed loudly to mask her pained cries. Laurel attempted to speak some sense into her again… before remembering the woman's disability…

Continuing to hold the submissive lever, Laurel slowly rolled the Guardian onto her back.

Melody glared furiously at the woman above her, shaking away the tears from her cheeks and attempting to ignore the pain that sapped her willpower. "WHAT YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH ASH?!" she roared, refusing to submit.

Laurel held on strongly, but a look of confused fear ran through her eyes. 'I… I don't know! Okay?! I don't know! I just… I just! I just feel like I really don't want to leave his side! I don't know why! I just met him! I don't know anything about him other than what he's told me! But… it feels… it feels like… like I've known him forever…'

…

Melody ceased her struggle. A weakened frown creased her lips. "_You from his past…_"


	23. Teamwork

"Then she just pushed me! And by the time I could react, she was already climbing up the walls like some kind of monkey. I thought that maybe she was going to toss me down a rope or something, but no! I just hear her footsteps getting further away while she's up there. And when I finally climb up to the top? She's gone. No trace of her anywhere. She ditched me! Can you believe her?"

"Considering that you insulted her? Yeah, I'm not too surprised that she did."

"Insult her how? All I did was point out a flaw in her logic."

"Maya always did hate it when people would point out her flaws – especially when it has something to do with Sato. Honestly, I'm surprised she let you travel with her that far considering how many times you insulted her."

"I never insulted her! I was just being honest! If she can't handle a little honesty, then she's certainly heading into the wrong relationship."

"Which can only be a good thing considering that you assume she's insane."

"Assume? Have you been listening to what I've been saying? She's not SUPPOSEDLY insane. She's CERTIFIED insane! Maya's willing to break open that machine with her bare hands! Tell me how that's not insane."

"So you _are_ insulting her."

"Not to her face! I still treated her with respect!"

"But you didn't think much of her while you were with her. Not even considering that she was psychic."

"Apparently everyone knew about her being a Psychic but me!"

"And everyone knew about you using my lucario to become an Aura Guardian except for myself, apparently."

"_A deal's a deal, 'Lene. Which, by the way, you didn't hold up._" May growled as she calmed her animated and agitated expressions. Her mood slowly turned bitter. The strange hours of her mixed reactions of excitement and irritation had finally met an end, stopped in seconds by a subject that she had avoided for respect's sake. _But if she's willing to bring it up, then that's her fault._ "_I won't forgive you for letting him get taken away like that._"

"And I never asked you to." Maylene answered solemnly. No emotional reactions graced her features. She continued forward with her search, eyeing the tunnel walls for clues hidden away or accidentally left behind. Her pink eyes only expressed speed; moving erratically, refusing to lose focus or miss any details, and only moved faster in response to the Coordinator's words. Outwardly, she still had her job to complete. However, inwardly, where her work was fueled and driven, she cursed at herself repeatedly. Her guilt had never declined, only silenced. Yet she could voice them now, to her other self – to the one she had failed. "I messed up. I suck. I know."

May shook her head and grit her teeth. "Oh don't go mopey on me again. That silent treatment got old fast when I was last here. It's one of the reasons why I ditched this group in the first place. Just up and ran off with Dawn on her crazy solo trip. And not a single 'o woe is me' was heard there."

"…_Then why did you come back…_"

"Because she ditched me! I just said that! I don't know where she went."

"You found her before. Why can't you do it now?"

"Because that girl's insanely smart! She's already figured out how I tracked her before. Now she's covered up that trail completely. _Like a ghost, I swear…_ …Speaking of tracks and trails, how's your group been doing?"

"How's it look? Still three steps behind that woman…"

May shrugged. She turned her head and acknowledged the blonde walking behind her with a nod. "So what's up with your friend? She didn't give you anything to call her back with? Not even a spot to meet her at? I thought she always wanted to stay in the loop of everyone's progress."

Another blonde walked forward and answered for the mute illusion, "Normally she does, and normally she leaves behind something for us to find… but I think she's found something important. Something important enough to keep quiet about… And I think that's also why we can't find her. She knows we're following her."

The illusion of Leanne nodded in affirmation for Bianca's statements. Her voice remained mute, though her emotions spoke loudly for her – filling in information that was left out of the human blonde's summarized answers. Latias then held her hands out, revealing a small, broken device in her palms.

May leaned back and peered at it curiously. "And what is that?"

"A range booster. Or something like that." Bianca replied, unaware that Latias had already answered through May's Empathy, "BiBi would use it to spread the range of her Track Signal – which was what she used to call for Solchie whenever she was in danger."

The Empathic Guardian blinked. "… Solchie? What's that?"

"Solana and Ritchie? Solchie." she clarified.

"That's a weird one. I think I prefer Rilana." May quickly cleared her head, refusing to drown herself in discussions of relationship names. "_Anyways_, so why's that one broken?"

"We think it's because BiBi's cutting her range for rescue. Which either means she's abandoning Solchie as her reinforcement, or she no longer plans to go back to where she's already been."

"So why is it broken? Seems better to just leave it as it is. 'Just in case' always seemed to be her philosophy."

"Because we might have figured out how to use it to track her."

"_Well shoot…_" May sighed in disappointment. To Bianca, tracking the original signal was only a 'might have', but for Latias, it was an 'already have'. However, the Eon Pokémon had no technical knowledge of how to fix the item. Despite these woes, the assurance that the shattered device was near impossible to find for the pokémon only comforted May. "Do you think BiBi might have done this because the Empire might have learned to use them to track her?"

Bianca shook her head. "BiBi knows the Empire would be wasting their time if they went after her. In fact, if it means that they'll be too distracted from chasing Ash and Sato, she'd gladly bait them into chasing her instead. She's not afraid of the Empire going after her – She's afraid of us catching up to her."

"Why?"

Bianca and Latias shrugged in unison.

May sighed again. "_You know, I remember when this team was all about sticking together…_"

"Says the girl who left this group." Maylene added in monotone.

"I also remember when this team was about helping Ash! And the world!" May countered loudly. "Instead, this group's obsessed with chasing a team who's probably doing things for their own benefit."

"BiBi looks and sounds selfish, I know," Bianca defended her counterpart with a passive and sweet tone, hoping to calm the tension, "But she really is caring and considerate. She's just doing what she thinks is best for everyone."

"Splitting off is best for us?"

"W-Well, no… but maybe she doesn't think we'd agree to her method of doing things."

"You mean like Dawn."

"…Yes."

"And Melody and Sato?"

…

Bianca fell into silence, unable to counter the Coordinator's justified anger.

"Leave Greeny alone, May." the fighter spoke up for her, "She's just trying to keep us together."

"Funny, I recall her running off to go save Ash on her own, without warning any of us!"

"What I mean is, she doesn't want us fighting. Like you are right now with all of us."

"Well excuse my poor attitude, but I just don't understand why we're following BiBi's trail and not Sato's."

"Do you know where his trail is?" Maylene asked with a tone of obviousness.

"Dawn did. I had no idea what she was following."

"Then BiBi's our best chance." she continued her tone, not understanding what was hoped to be accomplished in this discussion, "She might not be after Sato, but she's more than likely after the Empire's main base… which Sato is also after. So we'll run into him sooner or later by following BiBi's trail."

May, however, found the fighter's logic to be disturbingly incomplete. "That's what I don't understand! Why are we following BiBi's trail at all? I don't know why we're following any trails! She knows a safe route to the base, Dawn knows which way Sato went, Sabrina and Casey vanished to who knows where, and we all know Annie and her team is ahead of us! How is it that we don't know any path at all, but they all do?!"

"_We're Ramies… Ramies don't make paths, we track them._" a voice grumbled.

May turned and raised her brow at the green-haired tomboy trailing behind. "_Nice to have you finally join in on the conversation, Anj._" she grumbled back. Her attention returned to the blondes beside her. "Even if Anj is right, the problem is we've got TWO Leannes with us! How are we behind _ONE_ Leanne?!"

"_Because she has two Farrons with her…_"

Maylene bobbed her head from side to side, considering the factors involved in the simple statement. "… Anj would have a point there. Whenever a Leanne's paired with a Farron, she becomes a lot more effective."

The factors did little to convince the Coordinator, who assumed it was the best 'I don't know' excuse the team could muster. However, the mention had sparked another complaint from her, "Speaking of Farrons, are we just going to ignore that none of us even know where Gary went?"

"He went with Duplica to be with Operation Beta."

"Okay, so now we're going to ignore that he could be with Operation Beta? What if Operation Beta strikes the main Empire base while Sato and Melody are trying to find their way in? Are we fine with history repeating as Gary leads the same team that blew up the machine with the darkness inside it?"

"Operation Beta would be busied with a unified liberation attack in Sinnoh's main Empire control points."

The Coordinator stopped in her tracks and pulled Maylene to a stop as well. Her hands wrapped around the straps of the tank top, spinning the fighter on her heels and glaring viciously into her pink eyes. "You seem fairly confident with that fact! And like every other time you've been confident about something: that means you've been hiding something! So spill it!"

…

Maylene stared in amusement at the young Coordinator. Though she had no reason to treat May with any form of camaraderie or friendliness, she could not help but feel proud for the Empathic Guardian. _She's getting smarter… And her confident attitude isn't just a bluff anymore. I actually feel a little threatened right now._ A soft smirk appeared on her lips. "Sabrina told me that she sent Ritchie and Solana to sabotage the HBR base. During their infiltration, they also managed to successfully leave behind files… files that the Quinns gathered. They're filled with information on the Empire bases within Sinnoh – everything they could ever want or need for an effective defense, or if need be, an offense. The only thing they would require to succeed in an offensive assault is Operation Beta's experience against the Empire. Whether they're going to accept or not doesn't matter: Operation Beta is going to help the Resistance take back Sinnoh."

May thinned her eyes, continuing her intimidating stare-down in case there was any doubt to be found. The fighter said no more – showing only apathy for the topics of her previous statement. Though the silent expression wasn't ideal, it was satisfactory: Maylene wasn't lying. "_…Since when did you get in good terms with Sabby?_"

"Ever since she figured I was the closest thing to a Quinn for the Ramies."

"…Which explains why you always have that stupid smug smile Sabrina has."

"You want to fight? I honestly don't feel like fighting, but if you keep asking for it, I'm willing."

"Maybe I do. Pokémon or fists?"

"_Like you'd stand a chance against me in a real fight…_ Pokémon. Three-on-three."

"K-O's only. No time or switch restrictions."

"You're on."

"THAT'S IT! I'M TIRED OF THIS!" Angie barked in frustration. The tomboy stomped forward, grabbing both Bianca and Latias by the arms and marched passed her counterparts. "You girls want to kill each other?! Go right ahead! But I actually want to get to the base before Sato does!"

"ANJ! WAIT!"

"No way! That's all I've been doing since – _AAAH!_" Angie was quickly tugged to the side, avoiding a large stone meant for her head. A deafening echo burst out as the stone exploded against the tunnel floor.

All five females clasped their ears shut, waiting for the echo to vanish.

Maylene released her ears first. She sprinted ahead, gesturing for everyone to follow her with panicked waving. "HURRY UP! GO! GO! GO!"

"What in the world is happening?!" Angie called after as she attempted to catch up.

"_I knew it. I just knew it!_" Maylene growled. "BiBi had Todd rig this place with traps! They're meant to warn her if anyone's catching up with her!"

"Why didn't you warn us earlier?!"

"Because Todd is really good with hiding his traps?! We're lucky we didn't run into any other ones sooner!"

Angie cursed underneath her breath and picked up in speed. "So how far ahead do you think she is?! _I swear I'm going to strangle Todd for nearly killing me!_"

"She can't be too far ahead. That trap looks like it was set up recently."

"So you saw the trap sooner?! Why didn't you –"

"Not that trap! The one up ahead! **Everyone duck!**" Maylene grabbed Angie by the neck and forced her into a bow, keeping up their running pace. The women behind followed suit, crouching and ducking to avoid an unseen threat. "Trip wire." the fighter explained, "Poorly set up. Saw that one too easily. I think they're close!"

"Then what are we waiting for?!" May sprinted passed the two, fueling her body with a surge of Aura.

"Oh no you don't!" Angie climbed onto Maylene's back.

"_H-Hey!_" the fighter protested.

"C'mon, Maylene! You really going to let that princess show you up like this?!"

"I'm not a horse! Get off!"

"May thinks your pink hair is stupid!"

"That's a matter of preference."

"May said she's going to keep Ash all to herself once she finds him!"

"So what? Stop trying to get me to run faster! And get off me already!"

"She thinks Contest Halls are better than Gyms!"

"LIKE HELL THEY ARE!" Maylene roared, racing forward at an impossible speed – with the tomboy attached to her shoulders.

Bianca and Latias shared an amused laugh as they continued to follow the charging Ramies.

"_Hm?_" Bianca slowed and came to a halt. She looked back, eyeing the dark tunnel walls she had passed several steps before. An eerie sense of watching eyes tingled at her chest, coming from every black patch that decorated the tunnel stones. It was an unsettling feeling, one that only pulled her to search deeper into the darkness.

Latias poked at her shoulder.

"Oh. Sorry. I thought I saw something." she apologized and pushed herself back into a run.

…

…

"Well now, that was close." Todd commented as he peeled himself from the stone wall.

Three other figures detached themselves from their hiding spots. Tracey, the Bianca of Alto Mare, and Calista walked to the center path of the rock tunnel, patting dirt and pebbles away from their clothes.

"Looks like they'll be the first to get to the base entrance…" Tracey sighed. "I wonder how they found us so fast?"

"_What concerns me is that it sounded like they haven't found Ash yet…_" Bianca murmured. Her mind began to fill with an impossible amount of conjectures and analyzed theories, though she erased them immediately – realizing that her concerns were better suited elsewhere. "Ritchie? Solana?"

"Yeah?" a voice asked from above. Ritchie swung down from the tunnel ceiling. Solana attempted to do the same, only to have her vest get caught on an unseen pinch. "_H-Hold on…_ Plusle? Help me out?"

"Plaa." the Cheering Pokémon chimed as it shook off a powder of dust. It crawled towards the Ranger and began to gnaw on the hooked fabric.

Bianca ignored their stalled situation. "I need you two to catch up with them. Find out what's going on. Don't let them know what we've been up to."

"Usual business?"

The Analyst nodded in response.

Solana finally fell to the floor, catching herself silently and rolling onto her feet. "After that? Message or meet?"

"Message. Tagged. Somewhere low. I'm assuming that whatever trouble you'll face ahead is going to keep you two occupied. For now, don't expect another meeting."

The Ranger gave a thumbs-up. "Got it. Ritchie?"

"Ready."

The couple nodded in unison and began their dash towards the leading team.

"_And what about us?_" Todd asked with a yawn, stretching his back and limbs. He reached his hands into his pockets afterwards, playing with the leftover string hidden inside. "Do I have to keep putting up traps, or…?"

Bianca briefly remained quiet, walking in the reverse direction of their location. She carefully searched for the area where Todd had abandoned his work on the un-triggered tripwire. "…Yes." she finally answered, "We didn't see Dawn with them. And we still have no idea where the Quinns are…" Her eyes spotted a faded glint in the air. The shine was far too miniscule to be easily seen. _Maylene has sharper eyes than I thought._ "Fix your tripwire. Anyone can spot it with how clumsy you put it up."

"Well excuse me and my rushed job, you were the one who said we could take our time through these tunnels. You said no one knew about this place."

"No one should have. And it was a terrible miscalculation on my part… If the Ramies know about it, then that means it's far more known than I'm comfortable with. So patch up your tripwire and set up the next traps. If we're lucky, our friends are all we have to worry about coming through here."

"So then why are we setting up traps if they're just friends?" Todd growled, hoping that enough troubling questions would deter Bianca from pushing the tedious task she placed on him.

"Because they won't be once we get our hands on Arceus."

"Ever consider they might agree with us?"

"Ever consider what kind of odds we'd be up against if they didn't?"

"_Tch._" Todd shrugged and walked back to his tripwire – defeated once again. "Fine. But let me just say… you're being paranoid."

"I like to think she's just expecting the unexpected." Tracey commented, not realizing that his words were copied from a previous encounter.

"Apparently she didn't expect everything unexpected…"

"Ramies are always unpredictable, even when accounted for." Bianca defended herself. "Anyways, it's best that they got passed us. Even if we know the blueprints of what's ahead, we can't be fully sure if there are any defenses or traps set there. According to what we have, the Empire had made these tunnels for their initial assaults on the regions. It's an important gateway for them, even if they don't use it anymore. So it should be expected that their subterranean gate is just as guarded as their surface gate. Or it may be guarded by unconventional means. The Ramies are perfectly fit for this. Unpredictability versus the uncertain. And we'll be able to sit back and see what comes from it."

"You don't seem concerned that the other Leannes are with them."

"We'll rescue them if need be. For now, however, we have other concerns. Such as you finishing that repair job."

"_Geez, I'm working on it!_" Todd grumbled as he waved the Analyst away.

Bianca remained still, refusing to be shooed off. She continued to lecture and instruct the Photographer as he worked – much to his irritation.

"…_Why is Ms. Bianca so mistrusting towards her own friends?_" Calista asked Tracey in hesitant curiosity.

"_Because… I guess you can say that she doesn't quite trust herself with what she's doing…_" the Sketch-Artist answered in whisper, "_So she wants them to stop her, in case what she's doing really is wrong. Until then, she has to at least seem like a threat to them. Otherwise they'd underestimate her._"

"_So if she's scared that she might be wrong, then why would she continue to do it? Aggressively, even?_"

"_Because… Well…_" Tracey frowned. A discomforting pain began to squirm at the pit of his stomach. It churned and stiffened as his heart and mind battled over answers to the logical questions. All answers found, however, were immediately destroyed and re-questioned. None seemed correct – encouraging the pain to grow. He felt sick, because the answer was obvious. "_Because…_" he hissed, "_it's the only way she can win._"

"_Win what?_"

The discomforting feeling erupted, releasing the nauseating truth that he constantly suppressed in medicinal denial. "…Sato's heart." Farron voiced. He turned and walked down the opposite path. "Come on. Todd's going to be busy for a while. And Bianca's only going to make sure it takes him longer than it should."

"_Wh-Where are we going?_" Calista nervously followed behind.

"I need you to guide me through the base… I have a job that needs to be finished…"

* * *

Massive walls of violet glow pulsed brightly as they closed, sealing the unnatural lights, scents, and energies within its frightening source. Ominous vibrations hummed loudly, fading slowly in time as its cryptic purpose was made complete. The atmospheric aura of the world around them soon returned to normal as sunlight and fresh winds were allowed yet again to continue with their reality-bound effects. Two females, one of a short stature and purple hair – a lover of sports and stripes, the other of slightly taller than average height and brown hair – a trained tracker and killer, stood in nervous quiet as the spectacular fortress known as Saffron City removed itself from all outside influences – returning to its initial autonomous state. In moments following its ominous lock and seal, the familiar silence of the universe was quickly restored.

…

The woman of brown hair and auburn eyes leaned over and whispered, "_You think she'll be fine in there?_"

The other leaned back and responded, "Of course she'll be fine. She's their leader. And stop whispering. They're Psychics. You'd have to shut off your head just to make them not hear you."

Lace brushed her hair aside, recovering herself from the foolish precaution with a confident smile. "Even if she is their leader, she's been gone for how long? Would they still hold their loyalties?"

Casey raised her brow at the concerning questions. She was aware of Lace's unfamiliarity with Sabrina, but the doubt of the Psychic's abilities and intelligence was completely alien to her. "Why wouldn't they? They asked her to come back. They've been waiting for her since the changes in this world occurred."

The ex-Hunter, however, only found the answer ignorant of the prominent negative evidences seen just moments before. She prevented herself from belittling the younger woman. And instead, attempted to clarify her intended worries, "Yes, but what kind of creature can survive such a change without being affected? You saw for yourself what the people inside of those walls looked like. You _heard_ them as well. Pale as ghosts, eyes blanker than paper, and _voiceless! Absolutely mute!_ They're not immune to changes. If Sabrina's personality is anything to base her people off by, then they have changed far more than any of us have under the Empire's influence. Those people are hardly people at all… _they're mutated freaks._"

"Uh… those are Psychics. They're always like that." The baseball enthusiast snorted. "Even before Team Rocket got their hands on Arceus, they've always been 'freaks'. Though Sabrina says they're just misunderstood."

"If they're normally in that condition, then why would they follow someone like Sabrina? That woman may be cold and distant, but not to their extreme. Don't tell me this is a case of "the heartless needing a heart"… because I doubt they'll succeed with one. It was Saffron's cold and distant attitude that allowed it to survive as long as it had. If the city's people were to grow any empathy, then they would only doom themselves."

"Actually…" Casey paused in her explanation, mindfully deciding to move away from the massive psychic barriers of Saffron City, and walked down a nearby path. She stalled in her movement, waiting for the ex-Hunter to catch up. Once synchronized into a comfortable pace with her partner, she continued, "Sabrina used to be worse than them, by a mile. Not only cold, but she was… I guess the best word for it is 'cruel'. Heartless, apathetic, vicious, and absolutely 'cruel'. You know, she turned her mom into a doll. And used to turn any of her visitors into playthings. _Sadistic._ Yeah, that's the word, _'sadistic'_."

Lace's eyes widened in surprise. "Is that so? _She doesn't seem the sort…_ What made her change?"

"Ash, apparently. He brought a haunter to battle her pokémon. The haunter was a bit of a kooky one. Made her laugh by making funny faces. Which I don't think she's ever done. Laugh, that is. That laugh unlocked her suppressed inner-child. And ever since then, she's been ridiculously kinder and friendlier. Caring, fun-loving, and kind of immature. That's not to say she can't be cold and efficient - she's still those things and more. But around us? She's who she wants to be: A little kid – because she never had a chance to be one."

"… And you're not worried she might have gotten soft because of it?"

"Soft or not – with Ash on the line, I doubt she'll disappoint."

Lace nodded, finding satisfaction with the conclusion of the discussion. She also felt relief, as it was a conclusion that would allow her to finally ask the question she had never been given the opportunity to approach, "By the way, who is this Ash? I've heard everyone speak about him, but I haven't seen him once with your group."

Casey halted in her steps. "_Wait._ You don't know who Ash is?"

Lace shook her head.

"But… you've been Hunting him!"

"… Is he that Aura Guardian from Hearthome?"

"Ye–… No wait. Is he taller than you or shorter?"

"Taller."

"_Ahh, so you've seen Sato!_" Casey nodded inquisitively and adjusted her baseball cap. She threw a stick of bubblegum into her mouth and offered another to the ex-Hunter. The ex-Hunter refused, confused by the item's stench. Ignorant of her reaction, Casey asked, "Do you already know about all this fusing stuff? How we can combine into one person? Anyone explain it to you yet?"

"Sabrina has. Though the explanation sounded… peculiar."

"Well, Sato? He's like that, a fused person, from the past. That kind of thing. But him? Only takes one person to turn into him: Ash. You can say Ash is like a reincarnation of Sato. Younger. Less experienced. But an Aura Guardian too. And all of us in this team? We got grouped in the first place because we all know Ash."

"That would explain why all of you seem to talk about him as if he's vital to your every decision… Is he the leader of this team?"

"Something like that. Leader. VIP. Purpose. Focal point. Whatever he is to us, we find it reason enough to stick together."

"And… who is in a relationship with him?"

"That would be Maylene. That pink-haired girl we traveled with earlier."

"And what is your relation with him?"

"Friend. Boss."

"And Domino's?"

Casey snorted, knowing full well what the central subject of Lace's curiosity was. She decided to keep its explanation short and understandable, "If you're asking why we all seem willing to risk our lives just for him. And why we're willing to sell each other out for that cause… _then the first assumption you have in your head is correct._ We just don't really like to say it out loud."

"I see…"

"You're probably wondering if he'll have the same effect on you, huh?"

Lace looked away, staring off into the faraway mountains. Memories of tasks and missions associated with the mountain's nearby locations flickered into her thoughts. Yet none of their satisfactory victories could distract her from the enticing and nervous fear found in the center of her chest. She cleared her throat and tried her best to hide any shaking tones in her voice as she answered, "In a fashion. You see, one of the girls in this team… mentioned that I had known her and Ash in the past. And that it wasn't mere coincidence that I was here… When I was a Hunter, I was told not to believe in superstitious things like destinies and fates, but the stories you've all told seem far more than just coincidental. _Considering this, I just wonder…_ what kind of bond or hold would this man have on me? I don't know him, I've never seen him, but I already respect him. The only man that has ever gained my absolute trust and servitude is the Emperor himself. Yet the loyalty this Ash has from such powerful and capable allies? The way time and Fate seem to bend and twist in order for him to survive and succeed? Frightening and inspiring. Rivaling, if not exceeding in certain aspects, the undeniable influence of the Emperor. It makes me curious. Curious enough to stay with all of you for as long as I have."

Casey chuckled loudly.

"What's so funny?" Lace frowned in irritation.

The younger woman shook her head. "If you keep thinking of Ash that way, you'll be sorely disappointed. We don't follow Ash because he's some great and amazing leader. _I mean, I guess, in a way he kind of is, but not anything like what people would expect from one. He's more like…_ Well, you'll figure it out once you meet him."

**Thmp. Thmp.**

"What are you… doing?"

Lace watched in bewilderment as Casey struck her body repeatedly with a large stone she had picked from the ground. Bruises and scars immediately appeared across her skin, and fabrics began to puncture and tear against the barbaric self-torture. Further confusing the weapon specialist, the baseball fan immediately threw herself against a tree and forcefully scraped her knees and elbows across its rough surface. As the young woman gasped and grunted in exhausted pain, she faced the ex-Hunted and smiled. Her hand weakly tapped across her forearm. "Got any nonlethal darts on you? Give me a shot here."

"E-Excuse me?" Lace's eyes widened, completely unaware, and slightly frightened, of what was occurring.

"Shoot me on my forearm. Something to numb it. This has to look realistic."

"_Wh…_ What has to look realistic?"

"You're turning me in. Say I'm a Psychic who left Saffron City. Empire's been waiting to get their hands on one."

"Are you insane?! They'll execute you!" Lace stiffly hid her wrist-strapped weapon in her sleeve and backed away. Her outburst of concern for the younger woman's safety was baffling, but was immediately attributed to how foolish and ineffective the plan was. _It would lead to only suicide! Nothing would come from it. And it would be a risk to my own safety if information were to be tortured out of her…_

"Or so they say." Casey confidently countered, "But the Empire's never been able to capture any Saffron Psychics, ever. If they actually do manage to get one, they're going to be interrogating them – trust me. And with how important Saffron City Psychics are to the heads of the Empire? And with the Aura Guardian breakout incident in Sinnoh? They're going to ensure that they're interrogated within a secure headquarters. And what's more secure than the main base in Kanto?"

"Do you seriously think they would risk revealing their most important location just to interrogate a Psychic?"

"Of course not. That's why they're going to say they've executed me before transferring me."

"And do you think they'd be fooled by you? You aren't a Psychic. That much is obvious."

"Obviously, but you're a Hunter. A Hunter that worked under Larcos. And a Hunter that was chasing Sinnoh's Last Aura Guardian. If they hear about how you survived a Hunt against the Guardian and how he had a Saffron Psychic as his support… they'll be all too willing to pull me in. No one would risk executing someone with that much important information stored away in their minds – even if it is just a rumor."

"And if they find out you're a fake? What then?"

"By the time they figure it out, it'll be too late. Sabrina just needs me inside for her to pinpoint the base's exact location, and even the routes I was taken through. I just need to be in there for more than a few minutes. But there's no way I can get in on my own. Not in time, at least. That's why I need you to take me in there. And what easier way than as a prisoner? You get to stay in character, and I don't even have to do much work. Win win."

"…_And if I sell both you and Sabrina out?_" Lace asked with a lowered tone. She grabbed Casey before she could further injure herself against a recently uncovered boulder. Pulling her by the collar, the ex-Hunter locked eyes with the weaker young woman. Her fingers tensed around the fabric of Casey's coat, measuring and memorizing the weight in her hands – judging its telling factors. A smile quickly formed when she recognized that the girl would hardly be a match in combat. "_I can sell all of you out. Your entire team. I can tell the Empire everything I know and get rewarded for my work. With all the information I had gathered in my time away from them? They wouldn't see me as a reject. They would simply think that they miscategorized me during my initiation. I'd make history with my capture, set a new standard, and make a name for myself. Considering all this, how would I ever benefit from helping you instead of myself? Knowing this, what chances do you really think you have? Why trust me when I can only take advantage of it?_"

…

Seconds of curious silence passed before Casey reacted – with a sure shrug. "Maybe because you've got no reason to be trusted. After all, you don't owe this group anything. You're better off without it, and it's only putting you through more trouble than necessary. But funny thing is? You know there's a big payout in the end. It's why you went as far as you did with us. It's why you haven't sold us out yet. Because you know it's there – even if you can't see it – even if you find it hard to trust. And you know, no matter how vague that feeling is, that final treasure is worth anything that's going to be asked from you."

Lace smiled and loosened her grip. "… You're an interesting one, you know that?"

"Like looking in a mirror, ain't it?"

"_A twisted one. A very twisted one._" **Thwip.**

"Ow. This a numbing one?"

"As requested."

"How numb we talking about?"

"As numb as my arm."

"Not as permanent, I hope?"

"Unless I shoot you again."

"How long until –"

"I've already pinged them. They'll be here within the hour."

"Good… _Good._" Casey exhaled weakly. She slowly dropped to her knees, planting her hands to the muddied grass for support. Her body shook as it fought to follow reflexive commands – failing miserably. In seconds, she fell limply onto her side and gasped desperately for air. "_Oh… this affects the whole… body…_"

"Yes. Relax. Take in slow, long breaths. It'll come easily once you get used to the constriction… Don't worry, you won't die from this… as long as you don't rush your system." Lace comforted with professional instruction. She rolled the younger woman onto her back and adjusted her body into a comfortable placement. Checked for steady pulse and cleared from sharp debris, the ex-Hunter found satisfaction with her victim's weakened, yet made-comfortable, state. "That's it. Like that. Get used to it. The toxin will remove itself completely in a day's time. It won't hurt at all, but struggling too much might cause internal injuries. Once the paralysis stops, you'll definitely feel those pains. So… get comfortable."

Casey grunted, replacing the nod she could no longer manage.

…

…

Lace checked her watch and scanned the area around her. Minutes passed before she quietly decided to sit on the dirtied grass next to the young woman. She cleared her throat, "So… What's your story?"

The paralyzed girl moved her eyes in confused effort, directing them towards the ex-Hunter. "_Huh?_"

"Your story." she repeated. "Sabrina showed me hers… How she ended up in this insane mission. Dominique even told me about her start in this. However, neither of them seem to know about yours. Or rather, never cared to ask. I suppose I care. What happened on your end?"

Casey breathed out an awkward laugh, though was unable to accent it with the necessary facial expression. "_Mine's not as fancy as theirs…_"

"It's just as important, I'm sure."

"_You're really… going to ask a paralyzed girl who can barely… move her jaw to tell her life story?_"

"I've done worse atrocities. Besides, it's going to be a long wait until they get here. I might get bored."

"_And you pass the… time by making other people tell their stories in really uncomfortable positions?_"

"It seems to be the most interesting option at the moment. Do you waste all of your difficult breaths with snippy remarks?"

"_It seems… to be the most interesting option at the moment._"

The ex-Hunter snickered – a reaction that vanished her train of thought. Her snicker faded into a sigh, dragged away in contemplation. She frowned. "_… In my work, laughing doesn't exist._ A genuine kind, at least. We're void of emotions, so it's only to be expected. What's strange is, despite those lack of chemical triggers, we still express emotions. Some of us laugh, _some of us cry, some of us shout, some of us smile, some of us put tones into what we say_ – no matter how we do it, we all seem to want to express what we want to feel. Even if we can't feel it.

"Me? I never cared much for emotions, even before I got elected into the Hunter Program. Emotions got in the way of success, and made people make foolish mistakes. That belief, that knowledge, that understanding, is what got me up to the top. It's what drove me to try harder than anyone else, and make far fewer mistakes along the way. It's what got me passage into Larcos' team. And what made me a perfectly effective and efficient Hunter. That spite towards emotions is what spurred me forward. It's what made me strong… so much so that when I had begun to feel them again – I feared that it, _I dreaded it._"

Her head shook, the snicker returning. "_Fear._ They say that's all should be feared. But I felt natural with fear. It was the only emotion I understood. It was the other emotions that truly frightened me…"

"_Because they make you weak._"

Her laughter stopped as she glanced at the younger woman. "Yes… they do." she answered with a curious smile.

Casey no longer struggled to look at the woman beside her – she only spoke into the empty air, "_But this weakness might be the strength you've been missing. Your best reached a peak… And without obstacles, it… became stagnant. And these weaknesses… these things you fear… make you feel more alive… more awake… more challenged than anything you've ever… accomplished._"

"It's what gives everything substance as well, I realized."

"_Meaning. Something bigger than orders and larger than the dogma you never understood._"

…

Lace found herself silent, Casey's words had trapped her within a cascading introspection that the ex-Hunter had avoided many times in the past. _Something I've avoided for longer than I should have. Though, I suppose that it has nothing to do with time or decisions. Only reasoning. Purpose. I had no reason to face it previously. So why now? Why all this now? Of all times and chances previous, why be void of them, but suddenly wanting now?_

"_It's calling you, isn't it?_" Casey whispered. Her breaths had become smoother, easier, and far more controlled. Her body still showed jerking irritation to its unmoving state, but her breathing had normalized into a comfortable pace with her words. "_That feeling. Moving you. Guiding you forward. Making you listen when you never cared to in the past… A purpose, right? Like what you've been preparing all your life for…_"

"Is that what you felt? What made you stay with this team?"

"_What made me stay was the purpose of the team… What pushed me forward was that feeling. It's what made Dominique really decide on fighting with us. And what made Sabrina lend her insane strength to our fight. And what made… me know I still had a use here._"

"Do you know what it is?"

"_It's a purpose. That's all it is… People think Aura Guardians are the only ones meant to protect the world. But that's… not true. They're just the will. But will alone can't accomplish everything… Spirits need a mind._"

"So you believe I'm meant to help this world's will? It seems sudden."

"_It is sudden. It was sudden for me, too… kidnapped in the middle of the night… And are you meant to? No. Asked to? Begged to? Definitely. You still have a choice. You can still betray us and forget that any of this happened. But you'll do it. You'll listen to what the world has to say… because it would be wrong if you didn't. …After all… a spirit without a mind is a dangerous thing. Satos can't be left alone with themselves… They always need a Quinn._"

* * *

"_How many people can fit on this tiny island?_" Domino hissed as she ducked behind the rock ledge. She quickly slipped across the thin shadows, avoiding the moonlight that alerted all watchful eyes. With a leap and a perfectly timed tilt, she crossed an open patch of lit walkways, invisibly - hidden only by the darkness of a dissipating cloud. Her landing shifted into a roll, silently stopped against another body. She kicked at the body's foot to gain its attention. "_Got anything, Misty?_"

"They're synchronized." the orange-haired female answered without turning her head, "Every thirty minutes, they're switched out into a new group. None of them are repeats. From counting the ones we've seen, over two hundred Empire soldiers are stationed here… in just this corner… within just the last three hours."

"I was hoping for some good news."

"Some of them were whispering about Aura Guardians. They're spooked. So it sounds like neither Sato or Melody have been captured yet."

"You forget to mention something about the Emperor?" Anabel reminded.

"I thought that was to be expected." Domino shrugged at the reminder. She rolled into a sitting position and patted her stomach, more concerned with the minimal weight gain than any immediate dangers. With a perturbed frown, she ignored her stomach and returned to the conversation, "Why wouldn't the Emperor be here? The main Empire base would seem like a perfect throne room for an emperor."

"No. Not that. Misty kept overhearing little details of the Emperor. It's not Giovanni."

Domino sat up with a straightened back. Her eyes sharpened. "_…Wait. Are you sure?_"

"Unless Giovanni is around our age, has red hair, and has a nickname of 'Silver'."

…

"_Something's not right about this._" the Double Agent murmured, "_Giovanni wouldn't just give up his control…_"

"Maybe he got more than he bargained for with his control of Arceus. 'Be careful what you wish for' rings true."

She shook her head. "No… He's a careful man. He would have planned for any situation put against him. This… This has to be a trap. Or some kind of mastered alternated plan of his."

"This is a trap, no matter who's in charge."

"No, no. You don't understand. Giovanni is different. His traps aren't so black and white. If he put someone in charge, then it has to be for a reason – _a real, thought-out reason_. It may be all a trap no matter who's in charge, but who's pulling the strings changes everything. Avoiding the trap he set up may be just as harmful as setting it off."

"_And what would you suggest?_" Misty asked with a hushed tone, eyeing the passing infantry with careful attention and analyzing their equipment.

"_I… I'm not really sure._" Domino admitted sourly. She turned away from the bustling movements of enemy troops and looked up into the night sky – contemplating. "_Giovanni always puts himself at the head and would never joke about someone taking his place. Not even for an elaborate trap… Misty? Anabel? You two are Mayas. What feelings do you get from this?_"

"_Don't ask me. I'm busy counting. …And I'm not as good with my intuition. Just stick with Anne's answer._"

Anabel nodded in appreciation for the trust. She waited for the soldiers to travel out of hearing distance before speaking, "Honestly? It feels strange. Not so much that Giovanni isn't the Emperor, but that the one named 'Silver' is. I don't think he's meant to be there. Or… here. At least, that's what it feels like. _As if he was never meant to be where he is right now…_"

"Usurped?"

"I don't think so. But I'm not entirely sure what to think either."

The ex-Agent sighed. "_That wasn't much use… but thank you, I suppose._ Anyways – Do you have any information from your scouting?"

Anabel shook her head. "No sign from Sato or Melody on my end. Also, there were a few Hunters around here, so I wasn't able to search that far out with my Empathy. But from what I've gathered, many of the soldiers were recently stationed here. Like us, they had no idea a base was located on this island in the first place."

"That mean most of them are rookies?"

"Sadly, no. A lot of them are veterans and Elites. They've been pooled in from across the Empire's territories. Best of the best. Despite that, none of them have gotten a solid shot on the Guardians – even their snipers. Seems it's a large part of their orders. They're meant to scare away the Guardians, not kill them."

"Weird… What's your take?"

"Maybe they're testing them?"

Misty raised her finger to gain their attention – though she still refused to remove her attention from the marching soldiers. "No. More than likely whoever's in charge knows what Sato and Melody are up to. And there's a good chance they're setting up a trap for when those two are successful."

Domino folded her arms and shrugged. "You think they're banking on them to succeed?"

"Who would you bet for? An organization that's meant to hunt Aura Guardians – or the Aura Guardians who were meant to avoid the organization hunting them?"

"That's assuming that they believe Sato and Melody can win. That's also assuming that they have inside information telling them that they will. Both are unlikely. It would all be speculation at most. Giovanni's not superstitious… _at least, he never seemed the type…_"

"Think about it." Misty interrupted the blonde's traveling thoughts to further validate her speculation, "With a God Pokémon on their side, do you really think an organization of their size and strength would show any hesitation towards two unarmed individuals? They would, if they had a reason to. We have to assume that they know something they shouldn't – and that Sato and Melody are walking straight into a trap."

"So we assume the worst then. That all of this is futile. What are our options?"

"Warn Sato and Melody. One. Interrogate someone involved with the head. Two. Kidnap the Emperor. Three. Only if we have to depend on ourselves."

"I doubt we'll find allies out here. Anne? What do you think?"

The lilac-eyed female curled herself against a crevice and exhaled. She began to play with the threads of her coat, attempting to calm her building nerves. The vicious sound of hundred-strong footsteps and **clack**ings of assigned weapons caused her to become anxious and fearful over her placement on the island, where no other sounds greeted them. Every ordered shout and sudden burst of unseen machines tempted her to jump and scream. But she refused, focusing all of her attention to the theories and question given to her by her partners. "I might be… partial to number…" A gasp left her lips. She sat up immediately. "_No!_ Girls, we have a problem."

"Definitely seeing one." Misty confirmed as she lowered her head slightly behind cover. "Lots of movement, even further back. Most are headed northwest. Some are breaking off and heading to the northeast. Also seeing some retreating into the base. Cancel that, it's not some. A lot are. Groups from the other side of where we are… lots of them. They're using codes to communicate… I don't recognize these ones. Something new is happening."

"Anne, fill us in."

"Intruders. Sato and Melody are in the northwest, but someone new was spotted with them. There's a group slipping in from the east. And there's a large group attacking the base… from underneath."

"Underneath?" Domino growled curses and spat at the floor. "_She's early._"

"She?"

"BiBi. Sabrina knew she'd be using the tunnel under the base."

"Tunnel? There's a tunnel down there?"

"Yeah, but we had no idea how to get in there. Sabrina figured that BiBi would find a way if she separated."

"Whose side is BiBi on?"

"Who else? Her own. Anne? The ones in the east, any identification?"

"Operation Beta."

"_You've gotta' be kidding me…_" The ex-Agent quickly eyed her surroundings. "Misty? Any other entrances that's not in the front, side, or back? We won't be able to make it in time for Sato and Melody, but we can disrupt what's happening inside."

"_That we can reach…_ Volcano mouth. I'm not seeing any venting for the base. I'm going to assume they've hidden them in the volcano rim and have a way of controlling the lava flow and gases."

"Complicated and almost unnecessary, but definitely unexpected. Sounds like the Team Rocket I know."

"More bad news…" Misty pointed into the distant sky. A black object was quickly approaching. "_Helicopter._"

Domino smirked. "Misty, find us the quickest route to that volcano. Anabel, keep any incoming groups from being interested in our movements. I'll handle any Hunters. We've got ourselves a new job."

"_Someone's rappelling from the helicopter… just over the northwest._"

"Misty, focus."

"_Right._ What's our objective once we get in?"

"The helicopter is still heading to the base. It more than likely has someone else inside as a passenger. Someone important. We're intercepting them inside."

The Cerulean Gym Leader affirmed the renewed goal with a nod. "There's a small blind path west of here. Not the quickest, but faster than if we were to run into anyone."

Domino returned the nod and took a deep breath. "… Lead the way."


End file.
